noun
soldier fly
Refers to flies of the family Stratiomyidae, especially the species Stratiomys japonica. The word is usually written in katakana as ミズアブ.
ミズアブは水辺でよく見られる。
Soldier flies are often seen near water.
この幼虫はミズアブの幼虫です。
This larva is a soldier fly larva.
Compound of 水 (mizu, 'water') and 虻 (abu, 'horsefly'), referring to a fly often found near water. The exact derivation is straightforward.