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horse fly

horse fly (Tabanus sulcifrons complex)

Features and Behaviors

FEATURES
Horse flies undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). They have one pair of membranous wings, the forewings. The hindwings are in the form of small, knobbed remnants. Sucking mouthparts allow for the ingestion of liquid foods. Their stout, large body may be gray or black.

BEHAVIORS
Horse fly larvae, called maggots, are aquatic or semi-aquatic, pupating in moist soil. Adults are often found close to where the larvae develop but may fly several miles away. Horse fly eggs are laid on vegetation above the water. Newly hatched larvae drop into the water and feed on invertebrates. Larvae overwinter and pupate during the following summer. The female horse fly sucks blood while the male drinks plant juices.

Illinois Range

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Tabanidae

Illinois Status: common, native