Louse fly - Louse fly (English spelling)

Japanese: シラミバエ(虱蠅) - シラミバエ（英語表記）louse fly

A general term for insects belonging to the Hippoboscidae family of the Diptera order. Adults are external parasites of birds and large mammals (hoofed animals such as horses and cows), penetrating the feathers and fur of their hosts and sucking their blood. Most are brown and small (around 2-5 mm), with flattened bodies adapted to a parasitic lifestyle. Winged ones fly close to the surface of the host's body and persistently follow it. Some groups have degenerated wings (a famous example is the sheep ked fly Melophagus ovinus (ket), an external parasite of sheep), and some winged ones lose their wings after parasitizing a suitable host.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

双翅目シラミバエ科Hippoboscidaeに属する昆虫の総称。成虫は鳥や大型哺乳類(ウマ，ウシなどの有蹄類ほか)の外部寄生者で，寄主の羽毛や毛の中に入りこみ吸血する。褐色で小型(2～5mm前後)のものが多く，寄生生活に適応して体は扁平である。翅をもつものは寄主の体表すれすれを飛んで，しつこくつきまとう。一部には翅が退化したグループ(ヒツジに外部寄生するヒツジシラミバエMelophagus ovinus(英名ket)が有名)もあり，有翅でも適当な寄主に寄生したのち翅を落としてしまうものもある。

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