# giany horse fly



## Galapoheros (Jul 23, 2017)

I just got back from the dump, a fixer-upper I'm messing with in e tx.  I saw one of these on the porch, I haven't seen one in 30 years.  When I was a kid I picked a larvae up next to a pond when I was looking for tadpoles, that was a mistake, that hurt pretty bad, felt like a wasp sting.  sorry, btw "giant", not "giany", is there any way to edit titles?  I've only been able to edit posts over here.

Reactions: Like 8


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## spotropaicsav (Jul 24, 2017)

That doesn't look real


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## schmiggle (Jul 24, 2017)

Horseflies are the worst, but I still think they're pretty cool looking. I'm impressed that you caught it without getting bitten.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## VolkswagenBug (Jul 24, 2017)

Whoa


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## Galapoheros (Jul 24, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Horseflies are the worst, but I still think they're pretty cool looking. I'm impressed that you caught it without getting bitten.


The larvae are banded and live in the mud especially around ponds, I'd like to find some of those again, they are hard to find.  My experience has been that they don't bite in defense, only to get a meal.  I don't think they have a defensive mech other than trying to fly away.


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## MatisIsLoveMantisIsLyf (Jul 28, 2017)

Found one of those ysterday, I'm scared


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## TylerFishman5675 (Jul 28, 2017)

Horse flies are generally just annoying, its robber flies you have to watch out for

Reactions: Clarification Please 1


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## MossMan (Aug 4, 2017)

TylerFishman5675 said:


> Horse flies are generally just annoying, its robber flies you have to watch out for


Robber flies hunt other insects, why do you need to watch out for them?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Draketeeth (Aug 4, 2017)

It's so big and velvety looking. I wouldn't touch it though. You're a brave soul for grabbing it.


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## Galapoheros (Aug 4, 2017)

MossMan said:


> Robber flies hunt other insects, why do you need to watch out for them?


True there, robber flies won't bite in self defense, at least that's been my experience, horse flies won't bite in self-defense either, ime.  Others may have had different experiences, I'd like to hear them.  I like robber flies.  Once I was hiking around and this big horse fly was trying to land on me and all of a sudden a big robber fly came out of nowhere and slammed that that horse fly to the ground, "Way to go Robber McGregor!".  I gave it a pat on the head and then it flew off with the horse fly.

Reactions: Like 4 | Creative 1


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 4, 2017)

MossMan said:


> Robber flies hunt other insects, why do you need to watch out for them?


They tend to attack you if you go near them, and if you make them mad they are prone to bite ime, I am more scared of handling them than a tarantula


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## MossMan (Aug 4, 2017)

TylerFishman5675 said:


> They tend to attack you if you go near them, and if you make them mad they are prone to bite ime, I am more scared of handling them than a tarantula


Really? They're always on my fruit trees in summer waiting for flying insects to go past and they've never attacked me, they always fly away. Maybe they're more skittish due to the amount of predators in the area


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 4, 2017)

MossMan said:


> Really? They're always on my fruit trees in summer waiting for flying insects to go past and they've never attacked me, they always fly away. Maybe they're more skittish due to the amount of predators in the area


I hunt them for my mantises, just earlier today a huge female flew on me, they have no fear of people in my area, I think they are just curious, but if you swat them they will bite, needless to say, that female was a  nice snack for my mantis anyway so I wont complain


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## MossMan (Aug 5, 2017)

TylerFishman5675 said:


> I hunt them for my mantises, just earlier today a huge female flew on me, they have no fear of people in my area, I think they are just curious, but if you swat them they will bite, needless to say, that female was a  nice snack for my mantis anyway so I wont complain


Maybe I should start using them for orb weavers and maybe carnivorous katydids if I get some. Sounds like they make good feeders


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 5, 2017)

MossMan said:


> Maybe I should start using them for orb weavers and maybe carnivorous katydids if I get some. Sounds like they make good feeders


They do, and they are easy to catch, I just use a ziplock bag and catch them one by one


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## Redmont (Aug 7, 2017)

I would love to attempt to breed them, has any one bred them successfully in captivity? I may be interested in buying some adults or larvae. What do the larvae pacifically eat when they are larvae?


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 7, 2017)

Redmont said:


> I would love to attempt to breed them, has any one bred them successfully in captivity? I may be interested in buying some adults or larvae. What do the larvae pacifically eat when they are larvae?


Horse flies?


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## Galapoheros (Aug 7, 2017)

TylerFishman, if you ever get a chance to post robber flies that attacked you, I'd like to look at it.  I've had some land on me but it looks like it's only that they were clueless of what they landed on.  Catching robber flies around here with a ziplock bag would be like trying to catch a dragon fly with a ziplock, it's sounding more and more strange to me, are you sure these are robber flies?


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 7, 2017)

Yep, 100% its usually the females that are more daring their ovipositor looks like a giant stinger, I can catch blue dahsers by hand, the insects here are pretty used to humans. Its easy to catch a lot of insects with plastic bags, if your quick that is


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## Galapoheros (Aug 7, 2017)

I'd like to see the species you're catching, any idea what it is?


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## Redmont (Aug 7, 2017)

TylerFishman5675 said:


> Horse flies?


Ya, I think it would be a cool breeding project, I think it's interesting to try and breed arthropods that hardly any one keeps. I think a large cage constructed from 2by2s and window screen would work good for them and in the bottom of the cage you could make a plywood base with dirt or mud or something.


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## Redmont (Aug 7, 2017)

If anyone got them breeding they could be a new feeder for chameleons and maybe other reptiles unless they have the ability to harm the chameleon


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 7, 2017)

It


Galapoheros said:


> I'd like to see the species you're catching, any idea what it is?


 The species is effaria aestuans ill attach a picture of a female too


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## Galapoheros (Aug 7, 2017)

I caught this Robber fly with a net, imo it's the most impressive sps. around here.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 7, 2017)

Redmont said:


> Ya, I think it would be a cool breeding project, I think it's interesting to try and breed arthropods that hardly any one keeps. I think a large cage constructed from 2by2s and window screen would work good for them and in the bottom of the cage you could make a plywood base with dirt or mud or something.


The problem with keeping flying arthropods is that they are very photosensitive and require perfect lighting conditions that allow them to acheive coordinated flight, this is why when a fly gets in your house it flies much slower in comparsion to how it flies outdoors and usually only flies to bright light sources, like a window or a light bulb, if you plan on breeding any flying arthropod, do It in full sun for  optimal results


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 7, 2017)

Galapoheros said:


> I caught this Robber fly with a net, imo it's the most impressive sps. around here.


Appears to be a beelzebub bee eater, impressive specimen!


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## Galapoheros (Aug 7, 2017)

I can't find any other bite reports, it's odd.


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## TylerFishman5675 (Aug 7, 2017)

Galapoheros said:


> I can't find any other bite reports, it's odd.


 hmm well I haven't been bitten in a while, Though its partially beacsuse I dont swat them when their on me, which is when I got bit, they probably only bite people in self defense


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## Galapoheros (Aug 7, 2017)

I can't find any other bite reports, it's odd.


TylerFishman5675 said:


> hmm well I haven't been bitten in a while, Though its partially beacsuse I dont swat them when their on me, which is when I got bit, they probably only bite people in self defense



ooohh, yeah that makes sense to me.  Whenever they land on me, I watch them and can see it's just a perch to them, they don't seem to know any better.  But the first time it happened I thought, "Hey man, are you about to do something I'm not going to like?"  I noticed they just sit there and look around when they land on me.


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## The Snark (Aug 7, 2017)

Galapoheros said:


> sorry, btw "giant", not "giany", is there any way to edit titles?


Better than what my wife read yesterday. Someone emailed her boss. Hit the send just as she saw the text 'Can I have you for a quick sex?'

You have to ask the mods to change it.

Reactions: Like 2


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## MatisIsLoveMantisIsLyf (Aug 8, 2017)

I don't know if it is true but to be honest I still squash them. I usually find them eating smaller flies, so I would like maybe now raising them for feeding purposes or even keeping one as a pet, since they are carnivorous?? Anyway, how can you make them parasite free?


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## Galapoheros (Aug 8, 2017)

I think this is the species  https://www.insectimages.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=7945    It might have been 20+ years ago that I watched a documentary on TV where somebody caught on video of horsefly larvae hiding in the mud and harpooning baby frogs.  They would eat tadpoles and probably small minnows.  To me it kind of looks like there are two diff sps. in that link, there is a diff in the shape of the head and eyes but I don't know much about horseflies.


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## spotropaicsav (Aug 8, 2017)

Wherever you are located  the bugs grow huge! What are thy eating???? Human fingers!


bigger





Galapoheros said:


> I caught this Robber fly with a net, imo it's the most impressive sps. around here.


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## Ratmosphere (Aug 21, 2017)

That thing is huge! Wow. Wouldn't want to be bit by that one.


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