Black Horse Fly

tabanus atratus

The black horse fly (Tabanus atratus) is a large, striking insect native to North America, known for its formidable size and deep black coloration. While male black horse flies feed exclusively on plant nectar and pollen, females are infamous for their painful bites, which they use to obtain blood meals necessary for egg development. These powerful fliers are common sights around livestock, marshes, and damp pastures during the warmth of summer. Despite their intimidating presence and reputation as pests, they play a vital ecological role as pollinators and as a food source for various birds, frogs, and predatory insects.

生息地: Typically found near wet environments such as marshes, swamps, and ponds, as well as open pastures and woodlands where livestock are present.

外見

The black horse fly is easily identified by its large size, typically measuring between 2.0 to 2.8 centimeters in length, and its entirely black or very dark brown body. Its large, broad wings are uniformly dark brown to black, and its massive compound eyes cover a significant portion of its head. In males, these eyes touch at the top of the head, whereas in females they are separated by a small gap. The stout body is covered in fine, dark hairs, giving it a matte or slightly velvety appearance.

界Animalia門Arthropoda綱Insecta目Diptera科Tabanidae属Tabanus

Black Horse Fly

カテゴリ

昆虫

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

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おもしろい事実

Black horse flies are strongly attracted to dark, moving shapes and carbon dioxide, which is how they locate large mammalian hosts like horses and cattle.

Only female black horse flies bite; males lack the mouthparts required to pierce skin and feed solely on nectar and pollen.

Their larvae are highly predatory and possess sharp fangs with which they inject venom to paralyze small aquatic organisms and earthworms.

They are among the fastest flying insects, capable of reaching speeds that allow them to easily chase down running animals.

特殊能力

Females possess scissor-like mandibles that slice open the skin of hosts to lap up blood, rather than piercing like mosquitoes.

They are exceptionally fast and agile fliers, capable of keeping pace with running mammals to secure a blood meal.

They use specialized vision to detect polarized light, helping them locate water bodies for egg-laying and navigate their environment.

サイズと詳細

一度の産卵数: 100+

食性と食事

Adult males feed strictly on plant juices and nectar, whereas females require mammalian blood meals to develop their eggs; larvae are voracious predators of aquatic invertebrates.

主な食物

Mammalian blood
Flower nectar
Plant sap
Aquatic insects
Earthworms

採餌方法

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生態系とのつながり

hunts

Domestic Cattle

Bos taurus

Female flies bite and feed on the blood of livestock for reproductive nourishment.

eaten by

Common Green Darner

Anax junius

Adult horse flies are captured on the wing and consumed by large dragonflies.

eaten by

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

The larvae and occasionally adults of the fly are eaten by shorebirds foraging in muddy habitats.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。

安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Black Horse Flyを見分けるには？

Black Horse Flyを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Black Horse Flyは何を食べますか？

Adult males feed strictly on plant juices and nectar, whereas females require mammalian blood meals to develop their eggs; larvae are voracious predators of aquatic invertebrates.

Black Horse Flyは通常どこに生息していますか？

Typically found near wet environments such as marshes, swamps, and ponds, as well as open pastures and woodlands where livestock are present.

Black Horse Flyはどのように狩りをしますか？

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Black Horse Flyの一度の産卵数は何ですか？

100+