Striped Horse Fly
Tabanus lineola
Only females bite, using scissor-like mouthparts to slash skin, while males feed peacefully on flowers.
- Scientific name
- Tabanus lineola
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Diptera › Tabanidae › Tabanus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Marshes, wet pastures, swamps, and coastal wetlands.
- Diet
- Females feed on mammalian blood; males and females feed on nectar and plant juices.
- Range
- North America, Central America
- Size
- 10-15 mm in length
- Lifespan
- Adults live 3-4 weeks; larvae can live up to a year.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Wetland drainage, water pollution, and widespread chemical pesticide application.
- Safe to approach?
- Females bite painfully to feed on blood. If encountered, wear light-colored clothing and use insect repellent containing DEET. If bitten, wash the area with soap and water, apply antiseptic, and avoid scratching to prevent infection.
Tabanus lineola , also known as the striped horse fly , is a species of biting horse-fly. It is known from the eastern and southern United States and the Gulf coast of Mexico.
Photo: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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