Buffalo Gnat (Noun)
Meaning
Small blackish stout-bodied biting fly having aquatic larvae; sucks the blood of birds as well as humans and other mammals.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- During the warmer months, people often complain about being bitten by buffalo gnats while spending time outdoors near lakes and rivers.
- Swimmers learned to avoid the shores at dawn and dusk to minimize encounters with buffalo gnats.
- Female buffalo gnats need the protein from blood meals to produce their eggs, which is why they are known to bite such a wide range of hosts.
- Hikers found that wearing long sleeves and using heavy-duty insect repellent helped deter the buffalo gnats they encountered on their journey.
- Entomologists have spent years studying buffalo gnats and the effects of their bites on various animal species, including humans.