Horse-flies and deer flies are true flies in the family Tabanidae in the insect order Diptera. The adults are often large and agile in flight. Only female horseflies bite land vertebrates, including humans, to obtain blood. They prefer to fly in sunlight, avoiding dark and shady areas, and are inactive at night. They are found all over the world except for some islands and the polar regions. Both horse-flies and botflies (Oestridae) are sometimes referred to as gadflies.
Deer flies are bloodsucking insects considered pests to humans and cattle. They are large flies with large brightly coloured compound eyes, and large clear wings with dark bands. They are larger than the common housefly and smaller than the horse-fly. There are 250 species of deer fly in the genus Chrysops. Their distribution is worldwide, though they have not been reported in Iceland, Greenland, or Hawaii.
Tabanus bovinus, sometimes called the pale giant horse-fly, is a species of biting horse-fly. As the scientific name suggests, it prefers bovine animals as the source of blood, although it may bite other kind of mammals as well. The insect is relatively large for a horse-fly, adults usually being 25–30 mm long. Like most other horseflies, its compound eyes are very colorful with stripe-like patterns. Its body and wings are mostly colored brownish gray. It is quite fast and an able flier, being capable of evading most attempts to swat it with ease. It bites humans infrequently, because of its preference of bovine animals. This loud-buzzing horse-fly can be a nuisance, as it circles around its target and occasionally lands to deliver a bite. However, to humans it is considerably less harmful than deer flies (Chrysops), which bite much more vigorously.
Tabanus is a genus of biting horseflies of the family Tabanidae. Females have scissor-like mouthparts that aim to cut the skin. The horsefly can then lap up the blood. Horseflies of this genus are known to be potential vectors of anthrax, worms and trypanosomes. Some species, such as Tabanus bovinus, prefer bovine animals and are less harmful to humans. The genus contains hundreds of species and many species groups.
Tabanus bromius, sometimes called the band-eyed brown horsefly, is a species of biting horseflies.
Tabanus autumnalis, the large marsh horsefly, is a medium-sized species of biting horse-fly. It is somewhat scarce compared to T. bromius and T. bovinus. This species shows slightly more of a preference for coastal marsh than some of the other European Tabanus, sometime even found in saltmashes. Wing length is 13–16 mm and about 16–22 mm in body length.
Tabanus glaucopis, also known as the downland horsefly, is a species of biting horse-fly.
Tabanus maculicornis also known as the narrow-winged horsefly is a species of biting horse-fly.
Tabanus miki also known as the plain-eyed brown horsefly is a species of biting horse-fly.
Tabanus sudeticus, also known as the dark giant horsefly, is a species of biting horse-fly. It is the heaviest fly in Europe.
Tabanus eggeri is a Mediterranean species of biting horse-fly, found in southern France, Italy, Albania, Croatia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Portugal and Morocco. There are also unverified accounts of sightings in Spain, Austria and Israel.
Haematopota pluvialis, the common horse fly or notch-horned cleg fly, or simply cleg in Scotland and northern parts of Ireland, is a species belonging to the family Tabanidae subfamily Tabaninae.
Cornelius Becker Philip (1900–1987) was an American entomologist, noted for assigning comedic names to species he described.
Chrysops caecutiens, common name splayed deer fly, is a species of horse fly belonging to the family Tabanidae. It is also known by the colloquial name Scotch Cleg.
Chrysopsinae is an insect subfamily in the family Tabanidae commonly known as deer flies or sheep flies and are bloodsucking insects considered pests to humans and cattle. They are large flies with large brightly-coloured compound eyes, and large clear wings with dark bands. They are larger than the common housefly and smaller than the horse-fly.
Tabanus petiolatus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. Unlike many Tabanus species, the colour pattern of male eyes is found in the larger, upper lenses - appearing as a dark, brown streak across the light coloured lens. Females of this species have uniformly coloured dark brown eyes. Often confused with Tabanus melanocerus or Tabanus trimaculatus.
Tabanus sagax is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae.
Tabanus punctifer, commonly known as the western horse fly, is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. This species of horse fly is approximately 20.5 mm (0.8 in) long. They are typically found throughout the southern and western parts of the United States. They can be found between Utah and Mexico, and between California and Texas. The thorax is covered with long hairs that give it a creamy white color, while the abdomen is completely black. Much like other horse fly species, the Tabanus punctifer female requires a blood meal for the development of their eggs. Females will bite horses, livestock, and humans, making them vectors of disease for pathogens and parasites.
