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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Tabanomorpha » Horse and Deer Flies (Tabanidae) » Horse Flies (Tabaninae) » Tabanini » Tabanus » Black Horse Fly (Tabanus atratus)

Species Tabanus atratus - Black Horse Fly

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Black Horse Fly - Tabanus atratus - male

Black Horse Fly - Tabanus atratus - female

Unidentified Very Large Fly - Tabanus atratus - female

black horse fly-Tabanus atratus? - Tabanus atratus - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)

Infraorder Tabanomorpha

Family Tabanidae (Horse and Deer Flies)

Subfamily Tabaninae (Horse Flies)

Tribe Tabanini

Genus Tabanus

Species atratus (Black Horse Fly)

Explanation of Names

Tabanus atratus Fabricius 1775

atratus 'clothed in black'(1)

Size

20-28 mm (2) (3); 24 mm (4); (reference missing for earlier size range given here as 20-33 mm)

Identification

Adult black, including wings, or nearly black, brown-purple; larva whitish, banded with black, up to 50 mm(2)

Range

se. Canada to FL-TX & n. Mexico(4); primarily eastern, although recorded throughout US (Long 2001)

Habitat

Very wide range of habitats; generally near aquatic environments (Long 2001). Larvae live "along the margins of ponds and ditches"(5).

Life Cycle

Larvae require two years to complete life cycle(6)(2); adult males short-lived; females survive through fall(6). Eggs laid on vegetation overhanging permanent water(3)

Remarks

prone to attack cattle and other livestock(2), rarely bites people. Can transmit diseases such as surra and anthrax and be a serious problem for livestock (Long 2001)

Internet References

Fact sheet (Long 2001)

Works Cited

1.	Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company.

2.	The Common Insects of North America Lester A. Swan, Charles S. Papp. 1972. Harper & Row.

3.	National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders & Related Species of North America Arthur V. Evans. 2007. Sterling.

4.	The horse and deer flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Texas Goodwin and Drees. 1996. 1996. Southwestern Entomological Society.

5.	Insects: Their Natural History And Diversity: With a Photographic Guide to Insects of Eastern North America Stephen A. Marshall. 2006. Firefly Books Ltd.

6.	National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders Lorus and Margery Milne. 1980. Knopf.

Contributed by A.W. Thomas on 18 May, 2005 - 5:03am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Mike Quinn, v belov, Ken Childs, Arturo Santos
Last updated 5 August, 2023 - 11:54am

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