I must never travel outside my backyard ...

By coincidence I have heard of this before. We have a similar nasty over here. It does not lay eggs, but carries an infectiontion which in extreme cases, if not treated promptly with strong antibiotics, can kill. It is carried by a particular type of horse fly (the female. The male does not bite). There are so many nasties about, and not all of them go on two legs.

teddy

It was so horrific as to make me think about never leaving the comfort of my living room ... LOL

Don't forget that the majority of accidents occur in the home. Believe it or not it can be safer outside

teddy

thank goodness bot flys aren't one of Australia's little nasties.