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Hi,

I know diptera with dark pattern on the wings from Tephritidae. Is this a species of this family?

2018-05-26, Northwest Germany, Lower Saxony, Ammerland, Rastede, in a garden (here sitting on a T-Shirt)

Thank you all for ID!
Thomas

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Hello Thomas, this is not Tephritidae. I think it is a horse fly (Tabanidae). Change the title and wait for some help. I do not know much about Tabanidae myself, other than the fact that the bite is very painful.

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Thank you! By comparing pictures, it might be Chrysops viduatus.
But I do not know anything about the family or species.

Thomas

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Hi,



I can confirm that! In all the last years the Tabanidae season with people biting species began in mid June (sometimes already in the second June week) with Haematopota (pluvialis). But the last few days photographing at the forestborder was quite awkward because of very obtrusive Chrysops females :o
We never had many Chrysops here. I can only remember of half a dozen sightings in more than 15 years. Seems as if that changes rapidly (because of global warming?).

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Hello Jürgen, H. pluvialis is the one that bit me two years ago. I will never forget that experience it was quite painful! I was kneeling down holding a flower trying to photograph a diptera of some sort. I don't even remember what i was trying to photograph because suddenly i felt an intense pain on the palm of my hand. The horse fly landed on the palm of my hand that was holding the camera, then it bit me. I can confirm that it is a painful bite. I can almost feel the pain again justi thinking about it. H. pluvialis is horrible at the local park. These flies follow me and my wife everywhere. We have much trouble trying to photograph insects.

I have yet to see a Chrysops species. In fact, i only ever see H. pluvialis where i live. I've visited several places around Berlin and i still do not see other Tabanidae species. Very interesting. Chrysops looks larger than H. pluvialis. I bet that bite is worse than H. pluvialis. Be careful, my Friend. The weather should be quite warm the next weeks, so they may be quite active now.

I hope that you have a pleasant night :)

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In America Haematopota is rare and Chrysops is common.

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It is the female of Ch. caecutiens.

@ John : Haematopota is surprisingly rare in the Nearctic (from our point of view).

Theo

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Thank you all for the interesting remarks and ID!
Thomas