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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Tabanomorpha » Horse and Deer Flies (Tabanidae) » Horse Flies (Tabaninae) » Tabanus » Tabanus americanus
Photo#66053
Large horsefly - Tabanus americanus - female
Copyright © 2006 Signa Williams

Large horsefly - Tabanus americanus - Female
Dismal Swamp State Natural Area, Camden County, North Carolina, USA
July 20, 2006
Size: ~2.5 cm
Not the best shot for ID purposes, but I couldn't get any closer. This was one honkin' big fly and the green eyes were beautiful. Glad it didn't have an opportunity to bite me.

Images of this individual: tag all
Large horsefly - Tabanus americanus - female Large horsefly - Tabanus americanus - female
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Contributed by Signa Williams on 23 July, 2006 - 9:37am
Last updated 23 July, 2006 - 12:34pm

This is all that's needed
for an ID. The world's largest tabanid. Moved to page
… Tony-2, 23 July, 2006 - 12:33pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks!
I appreciate the ID. You don't happen to know of a readily available tabanid key do you?
… Signa Williams, 23 July, 2006 - 2:11pm login or register to post comments

 
Rcent tabanid keys
seem to exist only on a State basis as a scientific-type publication.

The classic Horse Fly key is:
Stone, A. 1938. The horseflies of the subfamily Tabaninae of the Nearctic Region. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 305. 171 pages.
Copies of this publication do turn up for sale on Natural History Booksellers lists.

Another useful book is: Teskey, H.J. 1990. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada. Part 16. The Horse Flies and Deer Flies of Canada and Alaska. Res. Branch Agriculture Canada. Publication 1838. 381 pages.
Again, seek it out on Natural History Booksellers lists.
… Tony-2, 23 July, 2006 - 2:55pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks again
I'll keep a check on the NHB lists.
… Signa Williams, 23 July, 2006 - 4:16pm login or register to post comments

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