Horse Fly Facts

• Nicknames: Clag, breeze fly or deer fly
• Size: A typical horsefly has a length of one inch, but some horse flies are a bit longer.
• Appearance: Horse flies can be identified by their brightly-colored eyes and solid-colored wings.

Horse Fly Behavior

The horsefly is an insect that has a reputation in many different countries. Horse flies regularly attack both humans and animals, and, upon biting, the horsefly feasts on the blood of its victim. Horse flies are quite dangerous because they can easily transmit diseases.

A female horsefly is just like a mosquito because it requires a protein-rich blood meal and it must feast before it’s able to reproduce. Certain varieties of horsefly are incredibly large while other varieties are the size of a typical housefly. In most cases, the horsefly is viewed as a nasty pest, despite the fact that it pollinates flowers.

Horse flies are insects that suck the blood of humans, horses and cattle. It’s unfortunate that even a small amount of horse flies can make outdoor activity undesirable. Year to year, the level of intensity of a horsefly assault varies. When cattle sustain a large number of bites from horse flies, it’s common for dairy production to stall. The horsefly is always active during daytime, and it’s attracted to warmth, carbon dioxide, shiny surfaces and movement. Horse flies have sharp mouth parts that are like knives, and they use these parts to slice the skin of humans and animals.