Not a butterfly but a recent hazard to butterfly watching
Twice in recent weeks I've been bitten by a rather warty-looking brown fly (not clear-winged) about 2cm long. Once in woodland and once on grass downland. Would be nice to have a photo but my first instinct was to brush the b***er off after it had punctured my hand and caused a brief bleed.
I've had a google (and a spot of Dettol) but there don't seem to be any comprehensive sites with top-view illustrations. Can anyone id my tormentor?
Bryan
Biting Fly...
- Dave McCormick
- Posts: 2388
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:46 pm
- Location: Co Down, Northern Ireland
- Contact:
Could be whats eating me. I was walkig along and stopped for a moment, felt a "prick" and looked and saw a fly which I never noticed. It hurt slightly, but managed to get it before I could do much.
was it a CLEG-FLY Haematopota pluvialis? that was on me and seems they get stuck in my beard and wont seem to want to flick off. Aparenty rubbing bog myrtle on yourself can stop flies coming around you.
Called the Notch Horned Cleg:
was it a CLEG-FLY Haematopota pluvialis? that was on me and seems they get stuck in my beard and wont seem to want to flick off. Aparenty rubbing bog myrtle on yourself can stop flies coming around you.
Called the Notch Horned Cleg:
Cheers all,
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
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My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
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- Dave McCormick
- Posts: 2388
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:46 pm
- Location: Co Down, Northern Ireland
- Contact:
Cheers all,
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
-
- Posts: 487
- Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:39 pm
- Location: GLOUCESTERSHIRE
The female of one of the Tabanids (Clegs/Horse Flies) is I believe the largest British Fly. Not to be confused and won't be if one settles on you because of its size... about at least twice the size, bulk and wingspan of the Cleg which is far from small.
When they fly slowly around you almost silently before alighting for a blood meal, if they pass near your ears you can clearly hear the hum of their wings ~ sounds like a minature model plane with a motor to my ears.
When I first had one of these large female Horse Flies alight on me years ago, it actually settled on my thick leather belt ( Cow hide ) and thus was unsuccessful in its attempts to gain access to my blood... A bit scary then as I did not know such a large fly existed in the UK.
My father who was always aware of my keen interest in Natural History (which he shared to a lesser extent), actually encouraged it when I was very young say about 5-6 years old. About thirty years ago he paid 50p for a withdrawn Library Sell Off Book... The Flies of the British Isles ... a Warne Wayside and Woodland Series ( Colyer and Hammond ) which I still have. Here's the plate from that book showing these large members of that fascinating family ... the Tabanids.
These tabanids despite their size are very fragile. A simple slap will completely destroy them. However, there are exceptions ...
There is another Tabanid biting fly which I have not seen for some years. It is smaller ~ about Clegg sized ~ and is more colourful having yellow~gold panels in it's thorax. When one first tried it's luck with me I was in a West Sussex wood having been watching Apatura iris most of the day and was returning to the car. One settled on my hand and I felt it's proboscis penetrate my skin with a touch of pain. I immediately slapped it flat and when I removed my hand from over it, it fully recovered it's shape and form and had another 'go' at me.... Scary! ... I then pinched it between finger and thumb and it still would not break up. Such treatment to a Clegg or Horse fly would have completely destroyed it. I've looked at pictures in the same book and although it was nearly forty years ago when I had that first experience (and only seen one or two since ) from memory the species appears to be... either Chrysops caecutiens; Chrysops relictus or maybe Chrysops quadratus Tabanids.... one of those almost certainly.
According to Colyer and Hammond..
Back around 1990, I purchased three acres of land in a remote part of the west of the county. Allowing nature to reclaim this small area and with some management, it has become quite a nice little nature reserve with a good number of butterfly species resident and breeding. About half a mile away there is a stud farm and that maybe why Horse flies, including those big ones as well as those with yellow abdominal panels ( once or twice) , are sometimes present and literally make their presence felt ...
My son visited 'our' reserve after work this evening and reported numerous Marbled Whites and several other species present in good numbers. I have also seen Buzzards (frequent) Barn Owls ( Occasional at dusk) Sparrow Hawks/ Kestrels ( both frequent as numerous small birds and Wood mice present) and best of all, a Goshawk which dived into a thorny Blackthorn and Rose thicket at dusk disturbing numerous small birds which were settling down for the night there.... It chased one which it singled out ... did not observe the outcome. Almost as remarkable, nearby a pair of Hobbys working together taking turns to outfly and catch a Swift... not for nothing is the Swift so called. One of the most remarkable Natural History events I've ever witnessed.... saw the whole pursuit from start to finish. I actually managed to get a picture/slide of the Hobby carrying away the captured Swift which it 'mantled' a few yards away on the path I was walking along.
Apologies for the ambling ramble and going off at several tangerines ...
Well, it helps to pass the time....
When they fly slowly around you almost silently before alighting for a blood meal, if they pass near your ears you can clearly hear the hum of their wings ~ sounds like a minature model plane with a motor to my ears.
When I first had one of these large female Horse Flies alight on me years ago, it actually settled on my thick leather belt ( Cow hide ) and thus was unsuccessful in its attempts to gain access to my blood... A bit scary then as I did not know such a large fly existed in the UK.
My father who was always aware of my keen interest in Natural History (which he shared to a lesser extent), actually encouraged it when I was very young say about 5-6 years old. About thirty years ago he paid 50p for a withdrawn Library Sell Off Book... The Flies of the British Isles ... a Warne Wayside and Woodland Series ( Colyer and Hammond ) which I still have. Here's the plate from that book showing these large members of that fascinating family ... the Tabanids.
These tabanids despite their size are very fragile. A simple slap will completely destroy them. However, there are exceptions ...
There is another Tabanid biting fly which I have not seen for some years. It is smaller ~ about Clegg sized ~ and is more colourful having yellow~gold panels in it's thorax. When one first tried it's luck with me I was in a West Sussex wood having been watching Apatura iris most of the day and was returning to the car. One settled on my hand and I felt it's proboscis penetrate my skin with a touch of pain. I immediately slapped it flat and when I removed my hand from over it, it fully recovered it's shape and form and had another 'go' at me.... Scary! ... I then pinched it between finger and thumb and it still would not break up. Such treatment to a Clegg or Horse fly would have completely destroyed it. I've looked at pictures in the same book and although it was nearly forty years ago when I had that first experience (and only seen one or two since ) from memory the species appears to be... either Chrysops caecutiens; Chrysops relictus or maybe Chrysops quadratus Tabanids.... one of those almost certainly.
According to Colyer and Hammond..
The females' bright yellow 'panels' on the abdominal segments nearest the thorax certainly give them a distinctive appearance."These with the pictured wings and iridescent eyes, make them a fine sight to see when at rest, with the sun shining on them"
Back around 1990, I purchased three acres of land in a remote part of the west of the county. Allowing nature to reclaim this small area and with some management, it has become quite a nice little nature reserve with a good number of butterfly species resident and breeding. About half a mile away there is a stud farm and that maybe why Horse flies, including those big ones as well as those with yellow abdominal panels ( once or twice) , are sometimes present and literally make their presence felt ...
My son visited 'our' reserve after work this evening and reported numerous Marbled Whites and several other species present in good numbers. I have also seen Buzzards (frequent) Barn Owls ( Occasional at dusk) Sparrow Hawks/ Kestrels ( both frequent as numerous small birds and Wood mice present) and best of all, a Goshawk which dived into a thorny Blackthorn and Rose thicket at dusk disturbing numerous small birds which were settling down for the night there.... It chased one which it singled out ... did not observe the outcome. Almost as remarkable, nearby a pair of Hobbys working together taking turns to outfly and catch a Swift... not for nothing is the Swift so called. One of the most remarkable Natural History events I've ever witnessed.... saw the whole pursuit from start to finish. I actually managed to get a picture/slide of the Hobby carrying away the captured Swift which it 'mantled' a few yards away on the path I was walking along.
Apologies for the ambling ramble and going off at several tangerines ...
Well, it helps to pass the time....
Cotswold Cockney is the name
All aspects of Natural History is my game.
All aspects of Natural History is my game.
Interesting stuff, Cotswold - tangerines included
I'm glad I didn't see it before I went to bed!
Your reserve sounds like quite a place - any open days planned?
Now that No. 1 in the illustration could be a suspect if I imagine it with wings folded back over the body. Looking at the next-to-last segment on the abdomen, I thought I could make out the letters, R.I.P.
Cheers,
Bryan
I'm glad I didn't see it before I went to bed!
Your reserve sounds like quite a place - any open days planned?
Now that No. 1 in the illustration could be a suspect if I imagine it with wings folded back over the body. Looking at the next-to-last segment on the abdomen, I thought I could make out the letters, R.I.P.
Cheers,
Bryan
- Dave McCormick
- Posts: 2388
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:46 pm
- Location: Co Down, Northern Ireland
- Contact:
Was this your fly? I just looking through my images and came caross this one I took not so long ago:
Don't as me the name, I don't know.
Don't as me the name, I don't know.
Cheers all,
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro