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Noticed this strange little fellow on my bedroom curtain. It walks very strangely, has tiny wings, the body is angled as though it's always looking up and it's feet are swollen. I can't get it to fly as the wings seem underdeveloped / vestigial.
An amazing creature! It is a Louse fly, one of the Hippoboscidae, Crataerina sp. It will have come from the House Martins or Swifts nesting nearby. Do you have either of these in or on your house?
We heard a rustling sound coming from above the window for a few days so I finally went to see what it was. Turns out we've got some House Martins nesting near the window. That window nearest the nest is open almost 24hrs a day so that explains how the little critter is lodging in the bedroom.
Excellent! it is Crataerina hirundinis then. I hope you are pleased about the martins. I have three nests occupied this year. Every year I fell privileged that these birds fly many thousands of miles just to nest on my house. It is very unusual for Crataerina to become separated from a martin, so I doubt you eill see another.
IMG_20180611_2015399_rewind.jpg (1.4 MB)
IMG_20180611_2015552_rewind.jpg (1.8 MB)
