Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#102996
Horse fly - Agkistrocerus megerlei - male

Horse fly - Agkistrocerus megerlei - Male
Lady Lake, Lake County, Florida, USA
March 20, 2007
Size: 20mm
They came back same time of year. For about a week before I caught three of these, I seen them on the light pole and the bat pole warming up in the mornings, all appeared to be males.

Very nice
from what I read, not a common species. A great start to the season, only another 100+ species left to photograph for Florida.

 
Thank you
Tony. 100+, great. I wonder if I could use that as an excuse to get a horse :), probably not. I did get to see these for about 12 days, everyday when the sun hit the poles, they would stay for hours. Last year I had only seen the one, this year seven at one time, four on one pole, three on the other, and all that I have seen seemed to be male.

 
A horse would be great
but did you see this contraption
HERE
Doesn't have to be this complex. The pyramid canopy can be replaced by a simple plastic box (or wooden frame covered in clear plastic) that would have to be about 3-4' square; flies attracted to the sphere would accumulate at the top of the box. The box would have to be checked every few hours or the flies will die of heat exhaustion. Dry ice placed beneath such a trap would increase the catch and is especially useful for attracting those species that fly late in the evening or even through the night.