BIG Horse Fly species? (1 Viewer)

dandare · Jul 21, 2006

I have only met a similiar fly once before and that was looking for Clay Coloured Robins in Texas, and they even bite through clothing !
The flies that is not the Robins.[/QUOTE)

I once got bit on the shoulder right through my t-shirt. Didn't manage to see the culprit but presumed it was a horse fly.

dan

Atricapilla · Jul 21, 2006

dandare said:
I have only met a similiar fly once before and that was looking for Clay Coloured Robins in Texas, and they even bite through clothing !
The flies that is not the Robins.[/QUOTE)

I once got bit on the shoulder right through my t-shirt. Didn't manage to see the culprit but presumed it was a horse fly.

dan

There used to be some bad one's in Belize which used to drink mosi repellent for fun I'm sure,have'nt a clue what they were though!!!

BGuy · Jul 21, 2006

Here's one for all you experts, but you'll have to excuse the poor description. Location was the Avalon Marshes on the Somerset Levels last summer, when there seemed to be dozens of these nasty bugger's about. Outline description: noticeably 'delta' shaped when settled, about the same size as a 'conventional' horse fly. Wings were light brown with dark brown spots/patches, seemed to be attracted to white/light coloured clothing. Couldn't feel them 'settle' until the sods zapped you! I understand only females bite, sometimes resulting in an enormous egg-shaped lump!

Funnily though, I haven't seen any this year . . . so far!!! Any ideas?

mothman · Jul 22, 2006

BGuy said:
Here's one for all you experts, but you'll have to excuse the poor description. Location was the Avalon Marshes on the Somerset Levels last summer, when there seemed to be dozens of these nasty bugger's about. Outline description: noticeably 'delta' shaped when settled, about the same size as a 'conventional' horse fly. Wings were light brown with dark brown spots/patches, seemed to be attracted to white/light coloured clothing. Couldn't feel them 'settle' until the sods zapped you! I understand only females bite, sometimes resulting in an enormous egg-shaped lump!

Funnily though, I haven't seen any this year . . . so far!!! Any ideas?

Have a look on the website mentioned earlier_look under Tabanidae(this is the family name ) on page two and see if any bells are rung.

Sandra (Taylor) · Jul 22, 2006

This description fits what we call klegs (spelling?) in Scotland. I remember one once stung/bit my son thrugh his denims! You feel it on your skin and try and brush it off and it won't go! Maybe someone can let us know what it is - I'm sure it's some sort of horse fly. Have them frequently here in Yorkshire.

Sandra

Birdspotter · Jul 22, 2006

At Aberlady Bay NR today I studied three having a go at me through my pullover.
Basicly they just buried their head straight into the fabric of the top trying to find skin.
Also Horse flies are known as cleggs in Scotland as Sandra said/asked.

matt green · Jul 22, 2006

masses of horseflies here in norfolk,tried to bird a local patch with some sheep in the area and a swarm of them chased me back to the road!

to make home made insect repellent mix detol with baby oil to a ratio of 30/70

the smell will wear off but the mixture will remain effective,also your leicas
and swarovskis won't disintegrate after a weeks use!

matt

BGuy · Jul 23, 2006

mothman said:
Have a look on the website mentioned earlier_look under Tabanidae(this is the family name ) on page two and see if any bells are rung.

Hi Colin,

Thanks for that Colin, but I don't think it was 'Tabanidae'. To my untrained eye these had larger wings with much more distinctive two-tone brown markings with VERY noticeable 'delta' shape when settled. In fact I would have put it much nearer to 'Tephritidae' (on the same page). Any chance of it being that one?

mothman · Jul 23, 2006

BGuy said:
Hi Colin,

Thanks for that Colin, but I don't think it was 'Tabanidae'. To my untrained eye these had larger wings with much more distinctive two-tone brown markings with VERY noticeable 'delta' shape when settled. In fact I would have put it much nearer to 'Tephritidae' (on the same page). Any chance of it being that one?

Hi there,

Tabanidae is the family name for all the Horse-flies,if you click on the picture with that name on the website you will see various pictures of Horse-flies,however some of the photos are from dried 'set' specimens and have lost the delta shape.

Tephritidae(I may be wrong, cos I'm no Dipterist)are fruit feeders in both larvae and adult.

mothman · Jul 23, 2006

Sandra (Taylor) said:
This description fits what we call klegs (spelling?) in Scotland. I remember one once stung/bit my son thrugh his denims! You feel it on your skin and try and brush it off and it won't go! Maybe someone can let us know what it is - I'm sure it's some sort of horse fly. Have them frequently here in Yorkshire.

Sandra

Clegg and Horsefly are both common regional names of the same family of Flies(Tabanidae),scientific names are a bit of a pain but I supose they exist so that we all know that we are talking about the same Insect wherever we are in the world.

BGuy · Jul 23, 2006

mothman said:
Hi there,

Tabanidae is the family name for all the Horse-flies,if you click on the picture with that name on the website you will see various pictures of Horse-flies,however some of the photos are from dried 'set' specimens and have lost the delta shape.

Tephritidae(I may be wrong, cos I'm no Dipterist)are fruit feeders in both larvae and adult.

Thanks Colin. Having now looked at all the horse-flies I would guess one of either Chrysops relictus/rufipes/viduatus would be the culprit. Which ever one it is, I won't be hanging around long enough to find out/confirm (should there be a next time of course!). Thanks for all your help, much appreciated.

Evanji Axu · Jul 28, 2006

Ugh...*shudders* I'm glad not to like in the UK. Mostly mosquitoes bite here, but I constantly get spooked by hornets and wasps and just about everything (I got stung three times when I was a child so I've got insects-that-look-remotely-dangerous-phobia)

griffin · Jul 28, 2006

There are loads of Tabinids or Clegs around Deeside just now. Was recording some crossbills tooping in response to young Buzzards last night near Banchory and was attacked by a swarm near sheep on an open moor. They were crawling over Rycote furry wind cover for my Telinga parabola, on my face, all over my clothing. I am pretty savi and always wear long trousers, shirt sleeves down - not pleasnt just now as even up here in Aberdeenshire it has been really hot over last 3 weeks.

I was bitten by a cleg at Abernethy a few years ago and it left two big pucture marks in the back of my neck. Will be trying the detol/baby oil mix, and when out this weekend am using the mosquito face net even if I do look like a complete tit.

When do these bas**** things die !

Linz

griffin · Jul 28, 2006

The closest match for what I am seeing is Haematopota pluvialis, but the head and eyes don't quite match. Is there a subspecies or different "cleg" that frequents northern Britain/ Scotland ?

mothman · Jul 31, 2006

It could be one of the dried specimens on the page, but unfortunately the glorious eye colours and patternation of horse-flies don't survive the preservation process.

BIG Horse Fly species? (1 Viewer)

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dandare

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