Invasive, Parasitic Fly that Preys on Galapagos Finches May be from Ecuador

Scientists have discovered an invasive, parasitic fly on the Galapagos Islands may have come from mainland South America. Philornis downsi, which harms finches and other land birds, was accidentally introduced decades ago.

The female insects actually lay eggs inside active bird nests. Once these eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the nestlings. More specifically, they feed inside the nares, which are nostrils, of baby birds. Older larvae feed by scratching the birds' skin and ingesting the blood and other bodily fluids.

No one exactly knows how the flies were first introduced to the Galapagos and until now, scientists weren't even sure where they came from. That's why researchers have taken a closer look at this particular insect.

They looked at old studies and found document presence of the insect at two sites near Ecuador's coast. In addition, they found two new species of birds that were previously unknown to be attacked by the flies, which brings the total number of host species up to 37.

That said, the findings aren't all bad news. The researchers have uncovered evidence of at least one parasitoid wasp that attacks the flies. However, introducing this wasp into the Galapagos may cause more problems than it's worth. That's why researchers plan to continue research on the wasp to see whether biological-control releases of the insect are viable.

The findings are published in the journal Annals of the Entomological Society of America.

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