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Story: Sandflies and mosquitoes

Sandfly larva

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Sandfly larva

Female sandflies lay their eggs on stones or plants at or just below the surface of swiftly flowing clean water. Larvae hatch and form masses that attach themselves to underwater stones or driftwood. They use ‘nets’ to collect food from the current.

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Landcare Research – Manaaki Whenua

by D. W. Helmore

© Copyright image. All rights reserved. Permission from Manaaki Whenua: Landcare Research New Zealand Limited must be obtained before the re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Sandflies and mosquitoes – Sandflies: New Zealand’s blackflies, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/14738/sandfly-larva (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Maris Bruzgulis
02 February 2012
In 2012 the sandflies are still behaving exactly as they did when Cook documented their effects.