It prefers direct sunlight, often avoiding shady and dark areas. After about two weeks, metamorphosis is complete, the pupal case splits along the thorax, and the adult fly emerges. We will help you find the right treatment plan for your home. Get FREEDog Food Recall Alerts exclusive content, insider pricing, care guides, sale alerts & moreSign up for our Doggie Club! For other uses, see, List of soldierflies and allies of Great Britain, "Deer flies, yellow flies and horse flies", "The fossil tabanids (Diptera Tabanidae): When they began to appreciate warm blood and when they began transmit diseases? What are the signs of a horse fly infestation? [31][33][34] The blood that flows from the wound is lapped up by another mouthpart which functions as a sponge. Investigators have isolated many viruses, bacteria and protozoa from the sponge-like female mouthparts and their digestive system, but no studies to date show conclusive evidence that horse flies are capable of transmitting diseases to humans. Both houseflies and horseflies are a nuisance to humans, but horseflies are worse. It will take two to four weeks before it transforms into pupae, during which time it will avoid the light. [11] The genera Tabanus, Chrysops, and Haematopota all occur in temperate, subtropical, and tropical locations, but Haematopota is absent from Australia and South America. In the New World, the first discoveries date from the Miocene of Florissant, Colorado. You will often find horseflies near water because that is where they lay their eggs. The terminal segment of the antennae is pointed and is annulated, appearing to be made up of several tapering rings. They have rings of tubercles (warty outgrowths) known as pseudopods around the segments, and also bands of short setae (bristles). It likes to bite the legs, so you can get some relief by wearing pants. [31] Tabanid bites can make life outdoors unpleasant for humans, and can reduce milk output in cattle. Because of their cannibalistic behaviors, horse fly larvae are usually found living alone. Horse-flies or horseflies[a] are true flies in the family Tabanidae in the insect order Diptera. Both look similar, but they are very different, and it can help spot the difference since houseflies are nearly harmless while a horsefly can deliver a painful bite. [28], Adult horse-flies feed on nectar and plant exudates, and some are important pollinators of certain specialised flowers;[18] several South African and Asian species in the Pangoniinae have spectacularly long probosces adapted for the extraction of nectar from flowers with long, narrow corolla tubes, such as Lapeirousia,[29] and certain Pelargonium. Figure 1. [45][46], Eggs are laid on stones or vegetation near water, in clusters of up to 1000, especially on emergent water plants. The flies will feed on nectar until they mate, after which the females will feed on blood.

Horse flies primarily feed on larger animals, including cattle and horses. [6] Some treatments increased this to five subfamilies, adding the subfamily Adersiinae, with the single genus Adersia, and the subfamily Scepcidinae, with the two genera Braunsiomyia and Scepsis. [57], The physician and naturalist Thomas Muffet wrote that the horse-fly "carries before him a very hard, stiff, and well-compacted sting, with which he strikes through the Oxe his hide; he is in fashion like a great Fly, and forces the beasts for fear of him only to stand up to the belly in water, or else to betake themselves to wood sides, cool shades, and places where the wind blows through. Most species are approximately of an inch to 1 inches in length. The two ways to tell them apart is to look at their overall size and their wings. [11] Some species in the subfamily Pangoniinae have an exceptionally long proboscis (tubular mouthpart). [26] Meigen did pioneering research on flies and was the author of Die Fliegen (The Flies); he gave the name Haematopota, meaning "blood-drinker",[27] to another common genus of horse-flies. The larvae are predaceous and grow in semiaquatic habitats. Well also help you learn how to spot the housefly and give you some other information about them so you can be more informed. All rights reserved. Anecdotal reports of horse-fly bites leading to fatal anaphylaxis in humans have been made, an extremely rare occurrence. [6] Species recognition is based on details of head structures (antennae, frons, and maxillae), the wing venation and the body patterning; minute variations of surface structure cause subtle alterations of the overlying hairs which alters the appearance of the body. Using insecticidal ear tags can deter horse flies from feeding. [25], Two well-known genera are the common horse-flies, Tabanus, named by Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus in 1758, and the deer flies, Chrysops, named by the German entomologist Johann Wilhelm Meigen in 1802. Males only feed on pollen and nectar and have similar, but much weaker mouthparts. In the Chrysopsinae, the antennal flagellum has a basal plate and the flagellum has four annuli. Similar to other blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes for example, female horse flies use both chemical and visual cues to locate hosts. The body will be slightly hairy, and it will have a single pair of membranous wings. You can usually find them easily by looking in the garbage can on a hot summer day when conditions are perfect for breeding. This document provides information and guidance for landowners and land managers in western South Dakota who are managing small intermittent streams. They overwinter as larvae, pupate, and emerge as new adults the following year. Horse flies can also be uniformly colored, including the eyes and wings (Figure 3). Please try again. You will also see adult flies swarming around dog and cat feces, and they are looking for a place to lay their eggs. A Horsefly is a group of similar flies considerably larger than a housefly. Chrysops species develop in particularly wet locations, while Tabanus species prefer drier places. They are found all over the world except for some islands and the polar regions (Hawaii, Greenland, Iceland[3]). Horse-flies (genus Tabanus) are larger, up to 25mm (1in) in length and are mostly dark brown or black, with dark eyes, often with a metallic sheen. The posterior end of the pupa bears a group of spine-like tubercles. The fly carefully places the eggs in decaying organic material like food waste and feces. The males do not have the same mouthparts and do not bite. Horse fly females are aggressive blood feeders, while males do not consume blood but feed on pollen and plant nectars. The most common name is "cleg[g]", "gleg" or "clag", which comes from Old Norse and may have originated from the Vikings. However, it may take several applications before populations are successfully suppressed. Courtesy: W. Cranshaw, CSU, Bugwood.org, Figure 3. In most cases, the symptoms subside within a few hours, but if the wound becomes infected, medical advice should be sought. Chemical and source reduction control of horse flies is very difficult since they develop in natural habitats where insecticides, if legal to apply, offer little more than a minor, short-term degree of effectiveness. The females lay their eggs on vegetation in streams and wetlands. Most horse fly species have only one generation per year, but others may take up to 2-3 years to complete their development. The final larval stage overwinters and then enters the pupal stage in the spring. If present in high populations, they can become a significant pest of pastured livestock, primarily cattle and horses. Chrysops species are known as "deer-flies", perhaps because of their abundance on moorland where deer roam,[5] and "buffalo-flies", "moose-flies" and "elephant-flies" emanate from other parts of the world where these animals are found. They hatch after about six days, with the emerging larvae using a special hatching spike to open the egg case. [22] The Adersiinae have a divided tergite on the ninth abdominal segment,[23] and the Scepsidinae have highly reduced mouthparts. Adersia was recovered within the Pangoniini as were the genera previously placed in the Scepcidinae, and Mycteromyia and Goniops were recovered within the Chrysopsini. using nucleotide data, aimed to clarify the phylogeny of the Tabanidae and supports three subfamilies. South Dakota State University, South Dakota counties, and USDA cooperating. [24] Members of the family Pelecorhynchidae were initially included in the Tabanidae and moved into the Rhagionidae before being elevated into a separate family. They can also transmit serious bloodborne diseases as they can bite several people each day. The pupal stage only lasts about 1-3 weeks after which the adults emerge in the late spring or early summer. These flies are only active during the day and are usually more abundant in the summer and around pools, lakes or other bodies of water. [16], The Tabanidae are true flies and members of the insect order Diptera. Scratching the wound should be avoided at all times and an antihistamine preparation can be applied. In the past, most taxonomic treatments considered the family to be composed of three subfamilies: Pangoniinae (tribes Pangoniini, Philolichini, Scionini), Chrysopsinae (tribes Bouvieromyiini, Chrysopsini, Rhinomyzini), and Tabaninae (tribes Diachlorini, Haematopotini, Tabanini). Since horse flies inject anticoagulant-containing saliva during blood feeding, some serious reactions may occur in people that are highly allergic to the anticoagulant compounds. Female horse flies must consume a blood meal in order to yield fertile fly eggs. However, houseflies are important for the environment in that they break down and recycle organic matter. Insect repellents are helpful, but even the best repellents are not overly effective. [44], Mating often occurs in swarms, generally at landmarks such as hilltops. Because the female needs so much blood, these flies will relentlessly chase after their target. In the majority of species, they are white, but in some, they are greenish or brownish, and they often have dark bands on each segment. [14], Horse-flies are found worldwide, except for the polar regions, but they are absent from some islands such as Greenland, Iceland,[3] and Hawaii. [18] With a necessity for high-protein food for egg production, the diet of early tabanomorphs was probably predatory, and from this, the bloodsucking habit may have evolved. They have also been observed feeding on smaller mammals, birds, lizards, and turtles, and even on animals that have recently died. Both head and thorax are clad in short hairs, but no bristles are on the body. Another method is to spray animals with a short-residual pyrethrin to hit the flies directly. Though the horsefly eats only plant fluids, most people will recognize them as biting flies. [6] In North America they are known as "horse flies" or "breeze-flies",[7] and in Australia and the UK they are known as "March flies",[8] a name used in other Anglophonic countries to refer to the non-bloodsucking Bibionidae. [41], The eggs of horse-flies are often attacked by tiny parasitic wasps, and the larvae are consumed by birds, as well as being paratised by tachinid flies, fungi, and nematodes. [6] When fully developed, the larvae move into drier soil near the surface of the ground to pupate. The word "Tabanus" was first recorded by Pliny the Younger and has survived as the generic name. Pupae do not feed. [30], Both males and females engage in nectar-feeding, but females of most species are anautogenous, meaning they require a blood meal before they are able to reproduce effectively. One female can lay from 100-800 eggs per year. Courtesy: W. Cranshaw, CSU, Bugwood.org, Figure 2. In areas where diseases occur, they have been known to carry equine infectious anaemia virus, some trypanosomes, the filarial worm Loa loa, anthrax among cattle and sheep, and tularemia. The larvae fall into the water or onto the moist ground below. She can lay up to 500 eggs, and she will deposit them on a leaf over the water. Persistent itching and scratching of bite wounds that can cause secondary bacterial infections if the bite is not kept clean and disinfected. Apart from the common name "horse-flies", broad categories of biting, bloodsucking Tabanidae are known by a large number of common names. The membranous forewings are clear, uniformly shaded grey or brown, or patterned in some species; they have a basal lobe (or calypter) that covers the modified knob-like hindwings or halteres. The larvae are legless grubs, tapering at both ends. One method that is moderately helpful is the use of traps, although their effect is limited to a somewhat small scale. They rarely bite near the head. "Preliminary evidence that the long-proboscid fly, "Horsefly bites soar due to PADDLING POOLS, doctors urge Britons to drain water", "Identification of anticoagulant activities in salivary gland extracts of four horsefly species (Diptera, Tabanidae)", "Benefits of zebra stripes: Behaviour of tabanid flies around zebras and horses", "Polarotactic tabanids find striped patterns with brightness and/or polarization modulation least attractive: An advantage of zebra stripes", "Zebra stripes, tabanid biting flies and the aperture effect", "Predation of hilltopping horse-flies (Tabanidae) by birds in Brazil", "Allergic reaction to horsefly bite kills father of four in seconds after anaphylactic shock", "Rigid canopy trap for Tabanidae (Diptera)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Horse-fly&oldid=1098994040, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 July 2022, at 13:24. Disease transmission to livestock is another matter. [16] Although the bloodsucking habit is associated with a long proboscis, a fossil insect that has elongated mouthparts is not necessarily a bloodsucker, as it may instead have fed on nectar. Worldwide, about 4,455 species of Tabanidae have been described, over 1,300 of them in the genus Tabanus. Most species are multicolored with stripes on the abdomen and thorax (Figure 2). It can also carry the disease on its body and in its feces that it can spread around. A respiratory siphon at the hind end allows the larvae to obtain air when submerged in water. Horseflies are capable of consuming large amounts of blood, leading to animal stress and reduced weight gain. Therefore, if a property owner needs to control horse flies, it is best to contact your local Orkin branch office for advice on methods that are effective and to find out what can legally and practically be done for control. Horse-flies have appeared in literature since Aeschylus in Ancient Greece mentioned them driving people to "madness" through their persistent pursuit. Oliver (Ollie) Jones - A zoologist and freelance writer living in South Australia with his partner Alex, their dog Pepper, and their cat Steve (who declined to be pictured). 2022 South Dakota Board of Regents. There are no hairs or arista arising from the antennae. Courtesy: W. Upham, KSU, Bugwood.org, SDSU Extension to Host Beef Quality Assurance Transportation Certification Trainings, Understanding Western South Dakota Prairie Streams. [49][50], Controlling horse-flies is difficult. They are often large and agile in flight, and the females bite animals, including humans, to obtain blood. The subfamilies Pangoniinae and Tabaninae were shown to be monophyletic. Carbon dioxide expelled by warm-blooded animals provides a long-range cue to attract flies from a distance, while visual cues such as motion, size, shape and dark color function to attract horse flies from shorter distances. Notice the large eyes and elongated mouthparts. [21], A 2015 study by Morita et al. The female needs to feed on blood before depositing her egg mass. 2010. [5] The flies seem to be attracted to a potential victim by its movement, warmth, and surface texture, and by the carbon dioxide it breathes out. These flies can often reach 1-inch in length and are agile fliers. The larvae are carnivorous and will eat worms and arthropods.

These pests can detect humans by movement, color, or carbon dioxide output. Data related to Tabanidae at Wikispecies, "Horsefly" and "Cleg" redirect here. Eyes: Often have large, brilliant green eyes. [9], Adult tabanids are large flies with prominent compound eyes, short antennae composed of three segments, and wide bodies. Ollie, originally from the USA, holds his master's degree in wildlife biology and moved to Australia to pursue his career and passion but has found a new love for working online and writing about animals of all types. Horse flies have a range of hosts that include mammals of almost all sizes, livestock, humans, pets and birds. They do not feed indoors, but sometimes enter homes on accident through open windows and doors. .css-13o822y{width:15px;height:15px;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:currentColor;vertical-align:middle;}.css-cc2m3q{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;color:inherit;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-transition:color 0.15s ease-out;transition:color 0.15s ease-out;padding-left:10px;word-break:keep-all;}.css-cc2m3q:hover,.css-cc2m3q[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-cc2m3q:focus,.css-cc2m3q[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 2px #FFFFFF;}Call 877-819-5061. Protect your home or business from horse flies by learning techniques for identification and control. Female horse-flies can transfer blood-borne diseases from one animal to another through their feeding habit. They have small heads and 11 or 13 segments and moult six to 13 times over the course of a year or more. Horse flies have a robust body that is usually covered with small hairs. Horse flies have the ability to inflict a very painful bite and draw large amounts of blood. Hill, C. A. and J. F. MacDonald. In females, the eyes are widely separated but in males, they are almost touching; they are often patterned and brightly coloured in life but appear dull in preserved specimens. [31] The flies mainly choose large mammals such as cattle, horses, camels, and deer, but few are species-specific. Deer fly larvae, on the other hand, usually live in groups. Some animals have been known to lose up to 300ml (11impfloz; 10USfloz) of blood in a single day to tabanid flies, a loss which can weaken or even kill them. We hope you have enjoyed this comparison of these two nuisance insects and have learned some new facts. This pupae state can last up to three weeks before the fly emerges as an adult. In general, country-folk did not distinguish between the various biting insects that irritated their cattle and called them all "gad-flies", from the word "gad" meaning a spike. The head has short hairs, but there are none on the body. [31], Attack patterns vary with species; clegs fly silently and prefer to bite humans on the wrist or bare leg; large species of Tabanus buzz loudly, fly low, and bite ankles, legs, or backs of knees; Chrysops flies somewhat higher, bites the back of the neck, and has a high buzzing note. Insect repellents rarely deter horse flies. [15] Unlike many biting insects such as mosquitoes, whose biting mechanism and saliva allow a bite not noticed by the host at the time, horse-fly bites are immediately irritating to the victim, so that they are often brushed off, and may have to visit multiple hosts to obtain sufficient blood. Its found worldwide except in Hawaii, Greenland, Iceland, and the polar regions. [19][20] With the families Athericidae, Pelecorhynchidae and Oreoleptidae, Tabanidae are classified in the superfamily Tabanoidea. They have a pair of large compound eyes on the head and prominent mouthparts that extend downward (Figure 1). Adult flies may pass a number of disease agents and nematode parasites to animals. Antennae: All horse flies have antennae that are shorter than the head. When bitten, the symptoms and bite reactions can include: Localized swelling and an itchy red area around the bite. Length: Horse flies varying in length from about to 1 inches long. Didn't find what you need? In South Dakota, adult horseflies start emerging in early summer and remain active for 6 to 8 weeks. "[37] The "Blue Tail Fly" in the eponymous song was probably the mourning horsefly (Tabanus atratus), a tabanid with a blue-black abdomen common to the southeastern United States.[26]. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. If you live on a farm or a rural setting, youve probably felt the bite, so we are going to help you recognize them from a distance. Hah! As we progress later into the summer, we commonly see an increase in horse fly activity. Horse flies can be easily identified by their large size compared to other common fly pests such as stable flies or horn flies. This suggests that a function of the stripes was interfering with optic flow. These large flies can be found throughout South Dakota; however, they are typically more of an issue in the Southern and Eastern portions of the state. South Dakota State University adheres to AA/EEO guidelines in offering educational programs and services. 14 Rabbit Myths And Misconceptions You Need To Stop Believing Now! Female horse flies feed on the blood of humans and other animals, while the males do not feed on blood. [10] Horse-flies mostly occur in warm areas with suitable moist locations for breeding, but also occupy a wide range of habitats from deserts to alpine meadows. Symptoms may include a rash on the body, wheezing, swelling around the eyes, swelling of the lips and dizziness or weakness. The season, time of day, and type of landmark used for mating swarms are specific to particular species. [38] More recent research by the same lead author shows that the stripes were no less attractive to tabanids, but they merely touchedand could not make a controlled landing to bite. Horse fly (Tabanus abactor). [11], Horse-fly bites can be painful to humans. Most horse fly species only have one generation per year. Horse flies have from 6-13 larval stages, depending on the species. PetKeen.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. [15] The large animals and livestock mostly bitten by horse-flies are generally powerless to dislodge the fly, so there is no selective advantage for the flies to evolve a less immediately painful bite. [53] The National Health Service of the United Kingdom recommends that the site of the bite should be washed and a cold compress applied. Horse flies are found in most areas of the United States with more than 160 various species. Pictorial reference guide of noxious weeds in South Dakota. The tips of the legs have two lobes on the sides (pulvilli) and a central lobe or empodium in addition to two claws that enable them to grip surfaces. A few people experience an allergic reaction. Paul Muldoons chapbook Binge contains a poem Clegs and Midges which uses gadflies, real and metaphoric, cleg being a British term for the horse-fly. [6], The larvae are long and cylindrical or spindle shaped with small heads and 12 body segments. On either side of these are two maxillary palps. The genitalia are very simple and do not provide clear species differentiation as in many other insect groups. If its helped you, please share this guide to the difference between the housefly and the horsefly on Facebook and Twitter. They mostly rely on visual cues to seek out hosts, searching for large, dark, moving objects. Horse fly bites are painful and may cause allergic reactions and at times secondary bacterial infections if the bite is not properly treated. Adult horse-flies feed on nectar and plant exudates; the males have weak mouthparts and only the females bite animals to obtain enough protein from blood to produce eggs.

It may have a yellow body or black with a green sheen. These flies like to land on our food and can contaminate it with their feces, causing a health concern. However, the blood-sucking pests are not frequently implicated in disease transmission, unlike mosquitoes and ticks. Horse fly development sites are freshwater and saltwater marshes and streams, moist forest soils and even moist decomposing wood. This behaviour means that they may carry disease-causing organisms from one host to another. [51] A dark shiny ball suspended below them that moves in the breeze can also attract them and forms a key part of a modified "Manitoba trap" that is used most often for trapping and sampling the Tabanidae. These insects are recognisable as tabanids both from their mouthparts and their wing venation. Horse flies vary in color, with many being black, grey, or brown and some having patterns of blue, green, or yellow.