Flower feeding horse Fly (♂) (Scaptia auriflua)

Sitting on Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota) this Tabanidae is a flower feeder only unlike many of it's cousins where the females feed by drawing blood.
Known as 'Horse flies' outside Australia we call Tabanidae 'March flies' (which are mostly Bibionidae overseas)
Found in a local nature reserve. Glenfern valley reserve.

comments (4)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

The diversity of your spottings is incredible, as is your knowledge about them. Posted 9 years ago
1. Mark Ridgway
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Ferdy ! Obsessed :( Posted 9 years ago

Stuart

Lion

Love the eyes, really nice shot Mark! Posted 9 years ago
1. Mark Ridgway
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Stuart. Posted 9 years ago

The Flower-feeding march fly

The flower-feeding march fly, "Scaptia auriflua", is a species of horse fly that occurs in Australia. Unlike other march flies this species does not bite and does not feed on blood, it strictly drinks nectar.

Info 3 0

Similar species: True Flies

Species identified by Mark Ridgway