Family: Tabanidae, Horse and Deer Flies view all from this family

Description The Big Black Horse Fly is a member of the family Tabanidae. These stout, broad-headed flies, 3/8-1 1/8" (9-28 mm) long, have bulging, often brightly colored eyes. Unlike most other flies, their flight can be silent, and they are best known for landing stealthily on exposed skin and delivering a painful bite. Yet only the females bite mammals and take their blood; both sexes feed on honeydew, nectar, and other sugars. Adults are especially common around ponds, streams, and marshes, where the predacious larvae live in shallow water or moist soil.

Warning Female sucks blood, especially of livestock, but will also give humans a painful bite.