Science: Botfly Debunked

The deer botfly (Cephenomyia pratti Hunter) is a small, blunt-headed insect which sprays its eggs into the nostrils and throats of deer, scattering them like tiny bombs while on the wing. In scientific journals as well as the lay press, the botfly has been widely publicized as the fastest thing on earth. It has been credited with speeds over 800 m.p.h.—faster than the fastest airplanes (over 400 m.p.h.), than the fastest birds (over 100 m.p.h.), than the fastest land animal, the cheetah (70 m.p.h.). Most of this publicity seems to have sprung from...