Horse Flies
What do horse flies look like?
Horse flies are a dark colored, heavy-bodied large fly with large dark green or black eyes. Their large wings are swept back along their long and pointed abdomen. The adult female horse flies are strong and fast flyers that suck blood from warm-blooded animals.
When are Horse Flies Most Active?
Here in Florida, horse flies are a concern year-round, with a peak in their numbers in the spring. On a daily basis, these biting flies are most active during the day. The cooler, early morning and evening hours are when they are most active. During the warmer times of the mid-day, they will hide in vegetation for a potential meal source to become available.
What Attracts Horse Flies?
These flies breed in water or in mucky or muddy areas around ponds, swamps, and lakes. They are attracted to moist areas for breeding purposes, but will travel far to find a meal. They are attracted to livestock such as horses, cows and pigs but will certainly settle for wild animals and humans.
Where are you likely to find Horse Flies?
Horse flies are mostly found around horses and livestock but are easily found in shady and moist, wooded areas.
Are Horse Flies Dangerous or Destructive?
Horse flies are dangerous because they are a health concern. These concerns are centered around their bite. There is always a chance of experiencing an allergic reaction to the anticoagulant that is injected at the bite site or the bite site itself getting infected as it heals. The other risk of infection at the bite site is due to the exposure to the bacteria that the fly itself is carrying around from all of the other non-sanitary places that it has frequented.
