Wohlfahrtia (Diptera, Metopiidae) Myiasis of Mink in Alberta

Abstract

In nearly every year our attention is drawn to one or more cases of human myiasis in various places in Alberta. Unfortunately, in every instance where these have concerned infants, the larvae had already been removed and placed in alcohol. We have submitted a number of these larvae co Dr. E. M. Walker, at Toronto University for determination. He has not cared to commit himself by identifying first instar larvae but he classified all specimens which were in the 2nd or 3rd instar as species of Wohlfahrtia. He, further, suggested that they might be meigenii Coq. At the time when he identified them for us, it was believed that this species, though described from Europe, did occur in Western Canada.