Aquatic-larvae
Guides
Tabanus
True Horse Flies, Horse Flies
Tabanus is a large genus of biting horse flies in the family Tabanidae, containing hundreds of species distributed worldwide. Females possess scissor-like mouthparts adapted for cutting skin to access blood meals from mammals, including livestock and humans. The genus includes some of the largest horse flies in North America, with species such as Tabanus americanus reaching up to 30 mm in body length. Members of this genus are significant from a veterinary and medical perspective as potential vectors of pathogens including anthrax, worms, and trypanosomes.
Telebasis
Firetails
Telebasis is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, occurring throughout the Neotropics. Most species display red coloration, though a few blue species occur in South America. The genus was taxonomically revised by Rosser Garrison in 2009. Larval morphology varies among species; for example, Telebasis obsoleta has five palpal setae, a trait shared only with T. demerara, while other species have six or seven.
Tipulidae
Large Crane Flies, Crane Flies
Tipulidae is a large family of true flies in the order Diptera, comprising over 4,200 described species in more than 30 genera. Members are commonly known as crane flies or large crane flies, characterized by their elongated bodies and exceptionally long, slender legs. Adults are typically short-lived and often do not feed; their primary purpose is reproduction. Larvae occupy diverse moist habitats including soil, leaf litter, decaying wood, and aquatic environments, where most feed on decaying organic matter. The family has a fossil record extending to the Late Jurassic.
DipteraNematoceracrane-fliesdecomposerssaprophagousshort-lived-adultsmating-swarmsturfgrass-pestsharmless-to-humansworldwide-distributionLate-Jurassic-fossilsCharles-Paul-Alexandermaxillary-palps13-antennal-segmentsLimoniidaePediciidaemosquito-hawk-misnomerdaddy-longlegs-confusionleatherjacketsaquatic-larvaeterrestrial-larvaespring-emergencelight-attractionwingless-snow-crane-flies-in-genus-Chionea-(now-Limoniidae)Tropidia quadrata
Common Thick-leg Fly, Common Thickleg Fly
Tropidia quadrata is a species of hoverfly (Syrphidae) found across north-central North America. Adults are commonly observed on flowers, where they feed on nectar and pollen. The larvae are aquatic, a distinctive trait within the family. The species is notable for its thickened hind legs, which give rise to its common name.