User:Alan R Walker/draft article on Insects of domestic animals
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Insects of domestic animals
Insects that infest and parasitize domestic animals cause direct parasitic damage to their hosts and also transmit many types of pathogenic organisms that cause disease. This article introduces this varied topic from a veterinary perspective about categories of disease caused to livestock and companion animals, illustrated by specific examples. There are many methods of controlling these diseases that farmers, animal health assistants and veterinarians can apply. The variety of insects involved is large and their taxonomy is complex but more taxonomic and epidemiological detail will be found using the list of Further reading. The categories of disease do not correspond closely to the taxonomic categories of the insects; many groups are responsible for several modes of disease. Most of these insects are ectoparasites (feeding at the outer surface of their hosts) but some are endoparasites during their larval stages. The term micro-predator is sometimes used for those biting flies that are not resident on their host.