sandfly

A small, hairy fly commonly found in moist, shady habitats; some feed by sucking blood of vertebrates, including humans; may act as carriers of diseases, such as leishmaniasis. (Order: Diptera. Families: Psychodidae and Phlebotamidae.)

Sand fly or sandfly is a colloquial name for any species or genus of flying, biting, blood-sucking Dipteran that is encountered in sandy areas.

In the United States, sand fly may refer to those horse flies also known as "greenheads" (family Tabanidae), or to members of the family Ceratopogonidae, also known in Florida and elsewhere as a sandflea, no-see-um, no-see-em, noseeum, sand gnats, punkie, or punky.

Elsewhere in the world, the name sand fly is used to refer to members of the subfamily Phlebotominae within the Psychodidae, including the primary vectors of leishmaniasis and sandfly fever.