Horse Flies
| Types of Flies Types of Flies Types of Insects |
Tabaninae horse flies are known for their size, and the painflu bite inflicted by females.
They often live near water environments, where their larvae feed and grow on the local insects and small fish.
Adults can grow over an inch in length, and females feed on blood from mammals, including humans, a practice that places them into the insect pest category. For humans at least, the use of over the counter insect repellents containing deet (N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is usually sufficient to deter them during their season. (Note: deet is a strong chemical and it should only be applied according to the directions given on the container.)
A couple dozen different horse fly species live in the United States. Apart from size, many horse fly species can be identified by their colorful eyes.
Eye configuration can also help determine gender. The eyes of male horseflies are set close together, female horse fly eyes have a space between them.
The top picture shows a female Western Horse Fly. The light colored patch of hair behind the eyes serve as an additional species field identification clue.
© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels