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Photo#18943
Striped Horsefly - Tabanus subsimilis - female

Striped Horsefly - Tabanus subsimilis - Female
Springfield, Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
May 27, 2005
Size: 14mm
A female horsefly, found on the siding of my house and taken indoors to photograph. While I believe it is a member of the "Striped Horseflies" complex, I'm sure Tony Thomas will provide the proper identification :)

Images of this individual: tag all
Striped Horsefly - Tabanus subsimilis - female Striped Horsefly - Tabanus subsimilis - female Striped Horsefly - Tabanus subsimilis - female

Primo! horsefly Richard
I love this shot.

Fantastic image!
Beautiful job photographing this!

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=18701

I wonder

Excellent documentation
Definitely Tabanus lineola complex. Either lineola or hinellus. Seems more like T. hinellus than T. lineola. T. hinellus is regarded as a coastal species, but they must wander inland. Don't know how far you are from a salt marsh. I will go with Tabanus hinellus, a female.

Anthony W. Thomas

 
Tabanus
I don't believe I'm particularly near any salt marsh, as I live in the suburbs around the Washington, D.C. area. I don't actually see many horseflies in my area, only finding two last year (both already posted). I will leave it to you to decide where this one belongs in the guide. As always, your expertise is appreciated. If you think additional pictures will help, for example a closeup of the head, I may be able to post more images.

 
Final decision
Checked all the documentation I have on the lineola complex and have concluded that this specimen is Tabanus subsimilis even though it lacks an obvious reddish tip on the posterior scutellum; its presence/absence is usually the best first character to separate subsimilis from lineola.

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