Horse fly in tribe Diachlorini, Los Cedros Reserve, Ecuador

Looks a bit roughed up as it stung our guide Manuel, whom slapped it in return.

comments (5)

Christine Young

Lion

Nice one! I think you can rule out deer fly as a possibility because they have long, uniform antennae and apical spurs on their hind tibia. Your fly has neither characteristic.

My thought is it's a horse fly in the tribe Diachlorini, something like Dasychela sp. or Catachlorops sp.. The colored wings are unsual for a horse fly as most have either solid or clear wings, but there are exceptions. I can't say with any confidence that either genus is a match, but I suspect it is something in that tribe. Not sure though.

Catachlorops:
https://zenodo.org/record/275310#.YkclrujMJPB

Dasychela:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/792112-Dasychela/browse_photos

Also, FUN facts about horse flies....They do not sting. They bite. But, they do so in a crude, vicious way. Their mouthparts have stylets that act like swords to slash and hack at flesh. As the blood pools in the wound, they sponge it up.

Their saliva has anticoagulants to keep the blood flowing. But, unlike mosquitoes, horse fly saliva dosn't have anesthetic to numb the pain. So, horse fly bites hurt. And, to make it worse, they can spread disease mechanically (pathogens don't replicate inside the fly, but are spread through contact). Due to their painful bites, they are often swatted away before getting a complete blood meal. So, they end up having to get several small blood meals from multiple hosts, which increases the risk that they will pick up and spread pathogens. Oh, and only the females bite.
Posted 3 years ago, modified 3 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Thank you for the very educational comment, much appreciated. I'll keep it at the tribe you suggested. Posted 3 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Now you are tasked with spreading the knowledge to others...at your next party. Posted 3 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      I tried that last time but there were quite a few last-minute cancellations. Just my luck. Posted 3 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Well, maybe next time. Hehe. Posted 3 years ago

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