Cleg or Horse Fly ?

[DeeChester]

Hi, new to this site. Have a little info on horse-flies. 1) The true cleg fly is haematopota pluvialis - the common horse-fly. 2) Another horse-fly sometimes called a cleg is h. crassicornis. 3) Tabanus bromius is another one known as the robust horse-fly. 4) Last but not least (and the brightest) is chrysops relictus, another horse-fly... all bite as far as I know, body length 10mm apart from the robust horse-fly which can be 14 mm. Why do I know this? I am trying to identify via the web a huge scary hornet-like fly (no success yet will post a pic if I can) and came across these in in a photographic British Wildlife book. I would have to concur that the actual photo is that of a robber fly. Dee

[Northernlass]

Originally Posted by DeeChester

Hi, new to this site. Have a little info on horse-flies. 1) The true cleg fly is haematopota pluvialis - the common horse-fly. 2) Another horse-fly sometimes called a cleg is h. crassicornis. 3) Tabanus bromius is another one known as the robust horse-fly. 4) Last but not least (and the brightest) is chrysops relictus, another horse-fly... all bite as far as I know, body length 10mm apart from the robust horse-fly which can be 14 mm. Why do I know this? I am trying to identify via the web a huge scary hornet-like fly (no success yet will post a pic if I can) and came across these in in a photographic British Wildlife book. I would have to concur that the actual photo is that of a robber fly. Dee

Hi DeeChester I am also new to this site and I think that we are after the same beast... I have had a visitor on my drive today which was very much like your description. I have had no success at finding an image on the web ( determined to though, hence the time of this post -yawn). I wish I had the presence of mind to take a photo but to be honest I didn't want to get too close, it was bloody huge and looked nasty; none of the images on this site match it. If you do have any success please post it up.
P.S I think I have come across something v similar before when I had horses, every time we washed them in the yard this thing would come from out of nowhere and the horses and my sister and I would be terrified and have to take off. Only when we washed theM though...

[naturegirl]

Hi you new guys and a very warm welcome to WAB!

I too, used to have horses and they sure would do a dance if a horse fly was anywhere near! They didn't need to be wet to attract them and I remember driving a Welsh pony when a horse fly landed on it's neck!

He was actually well controlled as it bit him and I saw the blood roll down his neck, poor thing!

Not really sure what horse flies actually contribute to this world?

I thought Clegs were associated with sheep?

Naturegirl

[MerlinMagee]

Perhaps different species target different hosts? I react badly to insect bites, especially clegs/horseflies, so I notice when they're about and I'm sure I've seen them in cattle fields. They also seem to be able to smell me if I'm upwind of cattle and come to get me.