gad-fly

There are too many that could use this as an impetus to get rid of their own gad-fly.

Sanford contradicts himself on meetings with mistress 2009

Northern Tool and Supply: Where sharp, explosive, and/or 'powerful enough to be virtually uncontrollable', equipment draws Real Men like a gad-fly to a 15 million candle power flashlight with an attached compass and bottle opener.

Real Men Catalogs Don Lewis 2008

Stricken by the gad-fly of love, rushed headlong from the summit.

Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

No immediate harm appears; the animal is not startled as by the gad-fly; but in a few days the eyes and the nose begin to run; the jaws and navel swell; the animal grazes for a while as usual, but grows emaciated and weak, and dies, it may be, weeks or months after.

Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa 2004

The longing which had been upon him and driven him thus far, like the gad-fly in the Greek legends, giving him no rest in mind or body, seemed all of a sudden not to be satisfied, but to shrivel up and pall.

Tom Brown's Schooldays Hughes, Thomas, 1822-1896 1971

Her feet bled on the sharp stones, her body was torn by the thorns and brambles, and tortured by the stings of the fearful gad-fly.

Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life

So she sent a gad-fly to goad the heifer with its fiery sting over hill and valley, across sea and river, to torment her if she lay down to rest, and madden her with pain when she sought to sleep.

Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life

September this gad-fly is busily engaged in depositing its eggs.

Cattle and Their Diseases Embracing Their History and Breeds, Crossing and Breeding, And Feeding and Management; With the Diseases to which They are Subject, And The Remedies Best Adapted to their Cure Robert Jennings

Alas! that one's dearest friend should be transformed into a teasing gad-fly!

The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII: No. 356, October 23, 1886. Various

There are several species known under various names, such as gad-fly, breeze-fly, etc.

Insects and Diseases A Popular Account of the Way in Which Insects may Spread or Cause some of our Common Diseases Rennie Wilbur Doane