A comparison of Tsetse flies (Glossina morsitans) after feeding: unfed (left); bloodfed (middle); 24-hours post-feeding (right)
The photo shows a comparison of the changes in abdomen size and color before and after feeding. The left hand fly is an unfed, teneral fly. Immediately after feeding (centre) the abdomen swells enormously and the colour of the blood if visible through the cuticle. The tracheae network is highly visible at this stage. 24-hour post-feeding digestion of the bloodmeal is well underway and the excess liquid from the blood has been excreted, resulting in a slimmer profile. The colour of the abdomen has turned black due to the digestion of the heamoglobin within the bloodmeal.
Size: 5500px × 3667px
Photo credit: © Ray Wilson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: african, bloodfed, diptera, disease, fly, glossina, glossinidae, insect, morsitans, savannah, sickness, sleeping, trypanosomiasis, tsetse, vector
