Gadfly vs. Botfly — What's the Difference?

A persistent irritating critic; a nuisance.

Botflies, also known as warble flies, heel flies, and gadflies, are a family of flies technically known as the Oestridae. Their larvae are internal parasites of mammals, some species growing in the host's flesh and others within the gut.

One that acts as a provocative stimulus; a goad.

Any of various stout dipteran flies of the family Oestridae, having larvae that are parasitic on mammals, including livestock and sometimes humans.

Any of various flies, especially a warble fly, botfly, or horsefly, that bite or annoy livestock and other animals.

One of several dipterous insects of the family Oestridae, the larvae of which are parasites on many animals, including humans.

Any winged]] insect or fly of the family Oestridae (commonly known as a botfly) or Tabanidae (horsefly), noted for irritating animals by buzzing about them, and biting them to suck their blood; a gadbee.

A dipterous insect of the family (Estridæ, of many different species, some of which are particularly troublesome to domestic animals, as the horse, ox, and sheep, on which they deposit their eggs. A common species is one of the botflies of the horse (Gastrophilus equi), the larvæ of which (bots) are taken into the stomach of the animal, where they live several months and pass through their larval states. In tropical America one species sometimes lives under the human skin, and another in the stomach. See Gadfly.

A person or thing that irritates or instigates.

Stout-bodied hairy dipterous fly whose larvae are parasites on humans and other mammals

Synonym of gadabout

A person who takes without giving back; a bloodsucker.

Any dipterous insect of the genus Oestrus, and allied genera of botflies.

A persistently annoying person

Any of various large flies that annoy livestock