Biting-fly
Guides
Silvius sayi
Silvius sayi is a species of deer fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Brennan in 1935. It belongs to the subfamily Chrysopsinae, which includes the deer flies and horse flies. The species is placed in the genus Silvius, a group of biting flies known for their blood-feeding habits. Information about this specific species is limited in available sources.
Tabanini
horse flies, deer flies
Tabanini is a tribe of horse and deer flies within the family Tabanidae, containing at least 220 described species. Members are robust, medium to large flies with prominent eyes and biting mouthparts. The tribe includes economically significant genera such as Tabanus and Hybomitra, many of which are biting pests of mammals including humans and livestock.
Tabanus americanus
American Horse Fly
Tabanus americanus, the American horse fly, is a large horse fly species in the family Tabanidae. It is notable as potentially the world's largest horse fly, with body lengths reaching up to 30 mm. The species occurs in Canada and the United States, where adults are active in open pasture areas near livestock and water sources. Females require blood meals for egg development and are significant biting pests of cattle and other large mammals.
Tabanus atratus
Black Horse Fly
Tabanus atratus, commonly known as the black horse fly, is a large, all-black species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It is one of the largest horse flies in North America, with body lengths ranging from 20–25 mm. Females are blood-feeders with scissor-like mouthparts used to cut skin and lap blood, while males have reduced mouthparts and do not feed on blood. The species is recognizable by its uniform black coloration and distinctively hooked antennae. Females lay eggs in large masses of 100–1000 eggs near water's edge, with each female capable of producing three to four egg masses.
Tabanus catenatus
Chained Horse Fly
Tabanus catenatus is a large horse fly species in the family Tabanidae, measuring 19–25 mm in body length. It is commonly known as the Chained Horse Fly and occurs in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Like other horse flies, it belongs to a group of biting flies known for their blood-feeding behavior, with females requiring blood meals for egg development.
Tabanus equalis
horse fly
Tabanus equalis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to the large and diverse genus Tabanus, which contains numerous biting fly species commonly known as horse flies or deer flies. The species was described by Hine in 1923. As with other horse flies, adults are likely to be robust, medium to large-sized flies with large eyes and piercing-sucking mouthparts adapted for blood-feeding.
Tabanus fairchildi
Fairchild's horse fly
Tabanus fairchildi, known as Fairchild's horse fly, is a species of biting fly in the family Tabanidae. The species was described by Stone in 1938. Like other horse flies, adults are likely to be robust, medium to large-sized flies with large compound eyes and biting mouthparts adapted for blood-feeding. The species is recorded from Canada and the United States, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Tabanus fuscopunctatus
Tabanus fuscopunctatus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Macquart in 1850. It is recorded from the United States, though specific details regarding its biology, habitat preferences, and ecological role remain poorly documented in available literature. The species belongs to a large genus of biting flies whose members are known for their blood-feeding behavior and roles as pests of livestock and wildlife.
Tabanus gladiator
Tabanus gladiator is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Stone in 1935. It is distributed in the United States. As a member of the genus Tabanus, it shares the general characteristics of large, robust biting flies with prominent compound eyes. The specific epithet "gladiator" suggests a potentially distinctive or formidable appearance among horse flies.
Tabanus kesseli
Tabanus kesseli is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Philip in 1950. As a member of the genus Tabanus, it belongs to a large group of biting flies known for their robust bodies and large eyes. The species is recognized as valid by GBIF and iNaturalist, though the Catalogue of Life lists it as a synonym. Very little specific information about this species has been published in accessible sources.
Tabanus laticeps
broad-headed horse fly
Tabanus laticeps is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Hine in 1904. The species is found in the southern United States and Mexico. Like other horse flies, females are blood-feeders while males feed on nectar and other plant fluids. The species name 'laticeps' refers to the characteristically broad head of this species.
Tabanus lineola
striped horse fly
Tabanus lineola, commonly known as the striped horse fly, is a biting horse fly native to eastern and southern North America. Females are aggressive blood-feeders of humans and livestock, recognized by a pale median stripe on the abdomen, while males lack this feature, do not bite, and have bare eyes. The species has a univoltine life cycle with larvae developing in saturated sandy soils near water bodies.
Tabanus marginalis
horse fly
Tabanus marginalis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Fabricius in 1805. Like other horse flies in the genus Tabanus, it belongs to a group of large, biting flies known for their blood-feeding females and non-biting males. The species occurs in North America, with records from the United States and Canada. Specific ecological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Tabanus molestus
horse fly
Tabanus molestus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. It is distributed in the United States. Like other horse flies, females possess blade-like mouthparts adapted for cutting skin to obtain blood meals, while males have reduced mouthparts and do not blood feed. The species is part of the diverse genus Tabanus, which includes some of the largest biting flies in North America.
Tabanus nigrovittatus
greenhead horse fly, salt marsh greenhead, greenhead fly, greenhead, greenfly
Tabanus nigrovittatus, commonly known as the greenhead horse fly or salt marsh greenhead, is a biting horse fly species endemic to coastal salt marshes of the eastern United States. Adult females are aggressive blood-feeders that require vertebrate blood for egg production, while males do not feed on blood. The species is smaller than most horse flies, approximately the size of a house fly. Larvae develop in intertidal salt marsh mud for one to two years, preying on other invertebrates. Adults emerge in late spring and are most active from late June through August. The species is a significant human and animal pest, with populations managed through black box traps rather than insecticides due to ecological concerns.
Tabanus novaescotiae
Nova Scotia horse fly
Tabanus novaescotiae is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Macquart in 1847. The species is distributed across eastern North America, with confirmed records from Canada and the United States. Like other horse flies, it belongs to a group of biting flies known for their robust bodies and large eyes. The specific epithet references Nova Scotia, suggesting the type locality or an early collection location.
Tabanus pallidescens
horse fly
Tabanus pallidescens is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Philip in 1936. It belongs to the large genus Tabanus, which contains many biting fly species distributed across North America. The species is poorly documented in the scientific literature, with minimal published information on its biology and ecology.
Tabanus pumilus
horse fly
Tabanus pumilus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Macquart in 1838. The specific epithet "pumilus" (Latin for "dwarf" or "small") suggests this species is relatively small compared to other horse flies in the genus. Like other Tabanus species, females are blood-feeding while males feed on nectar. The species has been recorded from the northeastern United States, with confirmed observations from Vermont.
Tabanus punctifer
western horse fly, western black horse fly
Tabanus punctifer, commonly known as the western horse fly or western black horse fly, is a large biting fly in the family Tabanidae. It is distinguished from other North American horse flies by its creamy white thorax covered with long hairs and completely black abdomen. Females require blood meals for egg development and bite horses, livestock, and humans. The species is found throughout the southern and western United States.
Tabanus sequax
Pursuing Horse Fly
Tabanus sequax, commonly known as the Pursuing Horse Fly, is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. The species was described by Williston in 1887 and is currently recognized as a synonym of Hybomitra sequax in modern taxonomic treatments. As with other horse flies, it belongs to a group of biting flies known for their persistent pursuit of mammalian hosts. The species has been documented from at least two observations, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Tabanus similis
striped horse fly
Tabanus similis, commonly known as the striped horse fly, is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It is distributed across Canada and the United States. Like other horse flies, females are blood-feeders while males feed on nectar and other sugary substances. The species is recognized by its distinctive striped patterning.
Tabanus sparus milleri
A subspecies of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Whitney in 1914. As a member of the genus Tabanus, it shares the characteristic large size and biting mouthparts typical of horse flies. The subspecies designation indicates geographic or morphological variation within the broader Tabanus sparus species complex.
Tabanus subniger
Tabanus subniger is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Coquillett in 1906. It was originally described as a subspecies of Tabanus atratus (the black horse fly) but is now recognized as a distinct species. The species belongs to a genus of large, robust flies known for their biting mouthparts and association with mammals.
Tabanus subsimilis
horse fly
Tabanus subsimilis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Bellardi in 1859. The species occurs in the southern United States and Mexico. Like other horse flies, it belongs to a group of biting flies known for their blood-feeding behavior by females and their ecological roles as pollinators and prey for other organisms.