Bot flies are not generally considered festive. This is especially true if you are a reindeer, which often have reindeer nasal bot flies, or snot bots, as they are affectionately known.

Sometimes entomologists get up close and personal with the bugs they study. And sometimes they incubate bot flies in their own arms until the parasites burst out of their skin a la the movie "Alien.

Study bot fly infestation on ground squirrels of course. Last summer, Cal State Fullerton biology and health science student Kim Conway joined biology professor Paul Stapp’s student-research lab ...

Bot fly larva, aka Eskimo Candy, on the back of a caribou skin. Photo by Scott Hauge “Eskimo candy,” he bubbled, and popped it into his mouth. Bending down, he repeated the drill. Danny ate a ...

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