Ginormous black fly spotted - 3/4 size of my thumb!

I was in my car and I thought something happened to my exhaust because I heard this rattle/buzz that was really loud but it stopped and started back up and I noticed something landing on my rear windshield inside the car. It was a large black fly - larger than anything I've ever seen in person, TV/movies or online. It was about the size of 3/4 of my thumb. Most state these range in size from 20-25mm and large 20-28mm but I found another report of one the size I saw of 40-43mm.

Having never seen a fly this large and having vivid memories of the pain of deer fly bites, I worried what this beast could do. I found that these are called "Gigantic Black Fly - Tabanus atratus" and they live up to their name. These things supposedly like to live around livestock and that is probably why you see horses and cows flailing their tails around, they are trying to get these buggers off their backs! I always wondered how a horse/cow/etc could tell when a fly landed on them, even though some have short hair and fairly thin skin, but you'd notice if this thing landed on you!

This thing was also FAST. When it flew out my window it flew ahead of my car as I was driving, so it was going over 20mph at the time. I know some spy agencies try to make mini drones and I would think these would be perfect to make fake's of because the mass of their bodies, similar to dragon flies but much wider.

Being the first time I've ever seen these and I've been in farm land most of my life, I wonder if things like this are getting more common, I hope not.

bugguide.net...

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Ya dude those suckers are a pain. The bite alone in enough to make you cower away like a child.
I have been bit by those a few times. Mostly while swimming in a lake. Kinda like a wasp getting you as you come up to the surface.

Sorry you had one in your car. They are not very nice.

I think I had one land on my head while in a lake as well and seeing my friend's eyes when it landed on me scared me more than anything else b/c I didn't see it, just felt it's weight and saw their wide eyed look of terror.

I really wish I never saw that thing b/c now I know it's out there and it will be in the back of my mind while I'm outside, especially at night.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Try dealing with a bumblebee lol

Those are not ones to be trifled with. Also you can’t kill them as they are protected by law.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

They were always just called horse flies up here in Michigan. Their bite is painfully big and obvious. They actually take a big portion of your skin. Swells up and itches like mad! They are scary as all get out. My grandsons become petrified since in relentlessly returns until you kill it!

a reply to: DigginFoTroof


So i guess you need a tennis racquet to squat it then.

Or a 44 gallon drum of mortein.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Try dealing with a bumblebee lol

Those are not ones to be trifled with. Also you can’t kill them as they are protected by law.

Bumblebees are harmless. Just open a window and they fly right out.

The thought of killing them is offensive to me. I'm glad there is a law against it where you live.

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Try dealing with a bumblebee lol

Those are not ones to be trifled with. Also you can’t kill them as they are protected by law.

Bumblebees are harmless. Just open a window and they fly right out.

The thought of killing them is offensive to me. I'm glad there is a law against it where you live.

BS! They sting the hell out of you, not as aggressive as wasp and hornets, but really hurt. And Africanized bee’s are down here too. I kill away, not a bee hive, but militant singles die. If you think a cop is going to enforce that watch them when one buzzes their face or gets in their car.

Back on topic, those are called horse flys here and I have been bitten many times. It’s like a serrated knife with lemon juice on it stabbing you. The bad thing is if you miss swatting them they just keep coming back!

They are common around here. Let one light on your butt-cheak and sink their proboscis into you. WOW.
Horse-flies or horseflies are true flies in the family Tabanidae in the insect order Diptera. .... Although the bloodsucking habit is associated with a long proboscis...
OUCH!

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Try dealing with a bumblebee lol

Those are not ones to be trifled with. Also you can’t kill them as they are protected by law.

Bumblebees are harmless. Just open a window and they fly right out.

The thought of killing them is offensive to me. I'm glad there is a law against it where you live.

Actually a bumblebee can sting you as much as it wants just like a wasp. They are not like other bees.
And the pain from that sting is much worse than a wasp. Trust me it sucks.

the sting

The horse flies that bit us on Fraser island at Christmas were so big they drew blood with a bite. Nasty suckers.

Please tell me these aren't bot flies that size. The big bot flies in the SW US aren't even close to that size, but they leave a bot under the skin of livestock they bite that's damn near the size of a Good N Plenty when it's full grown and ready to come out. I detested the annual bot removal on the ranch when I was a kid. Even the cattle dogs would get them.

a reply to: Allaroundyou

Yes but Bumblebees aren't aggressive like wasps. You have to seriously piss off a Bumblebee for it to sting you.

I got stung by one when I was a toddler but only because I picked it up and tried to stroke it like a cat.

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: Allaroundyou

Yes but Bumblebees aren't aggressive like wasps. You have to seriously piss off a Bumblebee for it to sting you.

I got stung by one when I was a toddler but only because I picked it up and tried to stroke it like a cat.

BWAHAHAHA now this is funny.
I only got stung because they had a hive in between my fence and my neighbors and I was repairing mine. They are very aggressive when aggravated.