Chrysops on Pant Leg - Chrysops

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Tabanomorpha » Horse and Deer Flies (Tabanidae) » Deer Flies (Chrysopsinae) » Chrysops

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Copyright © 2007 Stephen Cresswell

Chrysops on Pant Leg - Chrysops

Near Ruraldale, Upshur County, West Virginia, USA
May 23, 2007

I find deer flies hard to photograph. The only time I see them is when they land on my hand or arm, not an ideal locale for the photographer. This one at least settled down as far away as my pant leg, allowing me to focus on him while still holding the camera with two hands. Any ideas about which Chrysops?

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Contributed by Stephen Cresswell on 24 May, 2007 - 1:42pm

either calvus or niger

2 almost identical species but calvus seems to fly earlier in the season than niger and has a more distinct yellow thoracic stripe on the side. Probably calvus.
These 2 species are distinguished from the other Deer Flies by having the wing clear beyond the black crossband and by having the front of the face (frontoclypeus) shiny yellow as opposed to other species that have a pollinose vertical stripe on the usually black frontoclypeus.

… Tony-2, 25 May, 2007 - 2:50pm

Thanks, Tony

Thanks, Tony, for the ID and information. I learned a lot! It does seem awfully early here for deer flies so yes, perhaps C. calvus as opposed to C. niger. Next time I'll have to get the fly to turn sideways on my leg so I can get a lateral shot!

… Stephen Cresswell, 25 May, 2007 - 4:24pm

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