Yes, they are called Deer Keds. They fly around until they find a host, and immediately shed their wings and bury themselves in the hair of the animal. Yes, they bite like a tick, and it hurts when they do. They will land on you and immediately start making their way to the highest point...your head. They love to run up your face. Had that happen many times. They don't spread disease that I know of. The deer we get in the Northern tier are polluted with them. You see hundreds on a deer and the number of ticks is substantially less.