Biting flies signal marsh recovery

Louisiana’s coastal region is abuzz with blood-thirsty horse flies, and that’s good news, according to Claudia Husseneder, an LSU biologist tracking the recovery of the flies since the 2010 BP oil spill. "This blood-sucking nemesis (native to Louisiana’s marshes) is a sign of a healthy coast," she said. "They're a bio-indicator of ecosystem health after an oil spill," she said during a presentation to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference recently in New Orleans. The oil spill harmed nearly every species in the Gulf from dolphins to shore birds, but the horse fly hints at trends in the ecosystem’s recovery. They're the top predator of marsh insects and tiny invertebrates. A marsh without horse flies is usually a sign that the food chain is out of whack or something toxic in the environment. Other species are not faring well. Bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, and deep-sea coral are among the marine life still struggling. But, the fly’s reemergence may seem like bad news for fishermen, duck hunters, and visitors to the state’s marshlands. "But, look on the bright side of life," Hasseneder said. "It means you're in a much healthier and productive marsh again." (Source: NOLA.com 02/20/18)