Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Tabanomorpha » Horse and Deer Flies (Tabanidae) » Horse Flies (Tabaninae) » Tabanini » Hybomitra
Photo#262464
Horse fly or Deer fly? - Hybomitra
Copyright © 2009 Stephen Hart

Horse fly or Deer fly? - Hybomitra
Blue Mountain/Deer Park, Olympic National Park, Clallam County, Washington, USA
August 6, 2006
Size: 1.5 cm, approximately
We've always called these deer flies, but looking through the guide, I'm not sure that's right.
They are common at certain times of the year in this location, sometimes thick in the air.
The iridescent striping on the eye is much more obvious than it seems in this photo.
They give a slightly painful bite, and yes, this one is biting my hand. What I do for science!

Images of this individual: tag all
Horse fly or Deer fly? - Hybomitra Horse fly or Deer fly? - Hybomitra
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Stephen Hart on 1 April, 2009 - 10:54am
Last updated 24 June, 2011 - 5:29pm

Moved
Moved from Horse Flies.
… Keith Bayless, 24 June, 2011 - 5:29pm login or register to post comments

Followup Photos
Following up on these images:



Definitely more like 1.5 cm. I've corrected these pages.
… Stephen Hart, 18 July, 2010 - 9:34pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Horse and Deer Flies.
… Keith Bayless, 17 March, 2010 - 5:07pm login or register to post comments

I will try
Summer is coming, however slowly.
I'll get more photos and try to get some specimens this summer.
… Stephen Hart, 28 April, 2009 - 6:38pm login or register to post comments

Moving to family page for now...
-
… Ken Schneider, 28 April, 2009 - 6:34pm login or register to post comments

Same family, different name
Horse and Deer flies are common names for different members of family Tabanidae. In Maine they call some of the larger ones Moose Flies.
… John F. Carr, 1 April, 2009 - 1:29pm login or register to post comments

 
big ones like this
are mostly called Horse Flies. Smaller ones with pictured wings are more often called Deer Flies. But, common names vary from place to place. Got'a wonder about 3 cm though. About half that seems closer to likely, and is still one whopping big fly!

This one looks very similar, perhaps the same genus?:
… David J. Ferguson, 1 April, 2009 - 11:50pm login or register to post comments

 
More like...
I've added a composite image.
My best estimate is more like 2 cm, or a tad less.
… Stephen Hart, 2 April, 2009 - 6:24pm login or register to post comments

 
3 cm?
It's hard to get a scale because of the shadow on my thumb.

But you're right. 3 cm looks awfully large.

I'd accept 1.5 to 2 cm.
… Stephen Hart, 2 April, 2009 - 12:14am login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact