Big ID

[jarmst4]

I found this in my garage. It flew into my face when I walked out there. Almost had a damn heart attack, I thought it was a bee. It looks just like a giant fly. Never see one this big thou. I'm in west Texas if that helps any. Pack of smokes for size comparison.

 

[Dark Nexus]

Probably part of the Tabanidae family. (Horse fly)

---------- Post added 07-14-2013 at 10:23 PM ----------

Pretty similar

http://bugguide.net/node/view/550269

 

[jarmst4]

Wow. Horse flies are common here, just have never seen one that big.

 

[Silberrücken]

Could be a Bee Fly... (Bombyliidae)

 

[josh_r]

Not a bee fly. It's a horse fly.

 

[shebeen]

Those damn things will bite you through a pair of levis.

 

[Vinegaroonie]

Ulcgh. Hate these things. Sorry for my spelling of ulcgh.

 

[Brachypelmo]

Texas Sized Fly!

 

[Smokehound714]

looks kinda like a cactus fly

 

[myrmecophile]

Cactus fly, Copestylum mexicanum is my thought as well.

 

[Dark Nexus]

Never seen a cactus fly before.. does look like that though

 

[catfishrod69]

Doesnt really look like the horse flies we have here. Camel fly?

 

[windscorpions1]

My vote goes to Horse Fly

 

[Smokehound714]

I'm sticking with Cactus fly.


Cactus flies are enormous syrphids, and they have a protruding face that does look remarkably like a Horse-fly's.

They have a REALLY long proboscis, as a result, the face is very long, and in poor light, resembles a tabanid's mandibles.

Also note the abdomen shape. Tabanids, regardless of species, have a streamlined abdomen, and an elongated thorax.

These flies are extremely common around scrubland. They live around Opuntia.

 

[jarmst4]

It did have a very pronounced proboscis. Most of the horse flies around here are maybe 1/2 that size.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Smokehound714]

The proboscis is normally tucked away, out of sight.

The face is long, resembling the mandibles of a female horse fly.