(Tabanus spp.)
Glossary
Tarsus
The last two to five subdivisions of an insect’s leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. Plural: tarsi.
Tibia
The fourth segment of an insect leg, after the femur and before the tarsus (foot).
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Bill Reynolds |
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An image of a biter! The dreaded Horse Fly as she waits for the next victim |
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Other Videos |
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Horsefly (Tabanus) larva crawling and digging in the mud Nature in Motion |
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About
Published on Aug 6, 2016 This horsefly larva is carnivorous and may take a few years to develop. They are capable of quickly immobilizing/killing animals as large as frogs. Do not handle; it's bite feels like a wasp sting. Adult females feed on mammalian blood; males, which lack mandibles, feed on nectar and plant juices. Adults are a pest to cattle and other livestock. Millions of dollars have been spent trying to control them. (Insecta: Diptera: Tabanidae) |
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Horse Fly (Tabanidae: Tabanus) in Hand Carl Barrentine |
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About
Published on Aug 1, 2010 Photographed at Kelly Slough NWR, North Dakota (31 July 2010). |
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Horse-fly bites and wounds me: an experiment and explanation WorldScott |
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About
Published on May 27, 2014 Horse-fly bites and wounds me: an experiment and explanation - I allow a vampire-like horse-fly to bite my hand wounding me to show what can happen. I strongly recommend not performing this experiment because there are horse-flies in certain parts of the world that are carriers of disease. For those horse-flies that do not carry disease, though rare, it is still possible for certain individuals to suffer a case of life-threatening anaphylactic shock from what would otherwise be a "benign" bite. More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-fly More WorldScott.com / IMG * videos: http://WorldScott.com/ |
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Horse Fly (Tabanidae: Tabanus) Behavior Carl Barrentine |
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About
Published on Jun 28, 2011 I observed two flies exhibiting this behavior (i.e., employing outstretched forelegs as either a funneling or gathering technique). I'm speculating that this may be a feeding behavior. Could this individual be gathering organic debris on foreleg tarsal setae. These large, biting flies are pollen-eaters, too. Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (27 June 2011). |
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Horse Fly (Tabanidae: Tabanus) on Wall Carl Barrentine |
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About
Published on Jun 20, 2010 Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (19 June 2010). |
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Bill Reynolds 6/16/2017 |
Location: Pennington Co. MN An image of a biter! The dreaded Horse Fly as she waits for the next victim |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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