Tabanus bromius

Tabanus bromius
Tabanus bromius female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Tabanidae
Genus: Tabanus
Species: T. bromius
Binomial name
Tabanus bromius
Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
  • Tabanus atricornis Walker, 1851

Tabanus bromius, sometimes called the band-eyed brown horsefly, is a species of biting horseflies.

Description

Close-up on eyes of Tabanus bromius

Tabanus bromius is one of the smaller European Tabanus, at about 13.5–15 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) body length.[1]

The mesonotum is grayish and bears on the top five indistinct longitudinal lines, while the abdomen is black, hairy and carries three rows of yellowish spots. The ventral side of the abdomen is light gray. The head is silver-gray and the compound eyes are green, with a violet-red transversal band. The wings are transparent, have brown veins and a length of 10.5–11 millimetres (0.41–0.43 in).

The females of these flies are bloodsuckers, feeding on mammalian blood, mainly cattle and horses, but they can also bite humans. The males feed on nectar, especially on Angelica sylvestris. The activity of these horseflies takes place in plain daylight, preferably in hot and muggy days and in the absence of wind. They are particularly aggressive during the full and late summer and bites cause painful welts.

The adult horsefly flies from late May until early September.

Distribution

This species is widespread in most of Europe, in the East Palearctic ecozone, in North Africa and in the Near East.

Habitat

These horseflies prefer open spaces, such as hills or sparsely wooded areas.

See also

References

  1. Stubbs, A. & Drake, M. (2001). British Soldierflies and Their Allies: A Field Guide to the Larger British Brachycera. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 512 pp. ISBN 1-899935-04-5.


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