Bloatfly

A bloatfly is a common mutated pest resembling an oversized blow-fly, often found in Appalachia, the Capital Wasteland, the Commonwealth and the Mojave Wasteland.

Background
An example of the mutations caused by the Great War, the bloatfly is an evolution of either the common housefly or Tabanus genera of biting horse fly. Tentatively classified as part of the Tabanidae family in the order Diptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda and kingdom Animalia, it is a major divergence from its evolutionary forebears.

Biology
The standard bloatfly is covered in a green and brown carapace, it is significantly larger and more tenacious than its predecessor the horse fly. Although its size inhibits its flight characteristics and agility, making it impossible to feed like pre-War horse flies did. Instead, it uses its engorged stinger and pupae gestating within its abdomen to incapacitate prey. The stinger is capable of launching mature larvae with a barbed sting at the end. These latch onto the target and deliver a neurotoxin capable of incapacitating larger prey, allowing the bloatfly and its larvae to feed. Its neurotoxin is ineffective against humans and larger targets, with localized necrosis being the only larger complication. As a result, the bloatfly is frequently prey, rather than predator, particularly among wastelanders who learned how to prepare its meat (or can stomach eating it raw). Some are noted to explode upon death. Bloatflies can resort to scavenging in situations where prey or other sources of food are scarce. It adapted to its enlarged size with a unique gland that enables it to balance and maintain speed despite its size. The gland itself may be toxic to consume.

Behavior
Bloatflies are a common sight in the wastes, exhibiting strong territorial instincts and an absence of any sense of self-preservation. They usually travel in swarms of two to four and attack other living targets relentlessly, using their larvae to try and paralyze them from afar. They are easily dispatched with any kind of weapon, however.

Bloatfly


The bloatfly is a giant mutated blowfly. Bloatflies attack at long range by peppering their prey with spine-bedecked larva launched from its abdomen. They tend to attack in groups, and their ability to attack from a distance can make them significantly more dangerous than radroaches.