Bullfly: description, features and habitat. What is the difference between a horsefly and a gadfly, or are they the same insect?

Many gardeners, while gardening in the summer, repeatedly experience bites from various blood-sucking insects, among which the most intrusive are horseflies and gadflies: the differences between insects are subtle, and an uninitiated person is unlikely to be able to distinguish them from each other in real conditions.

Nutrition and maturation

It is believed that this insect got its name because of its excessive intrusiveness. Females do not see any purpose in their existence other than to drink blood; it is for this reason that they often hang around people and animals, without thinking about danger. Males are calmer, their life cycle is shorter, so they do not need blood, while females can drink 0.2 g of blood at a time, which is a huge dose for such a small insect. Livestock suffer the most from these bloodsuckers: cows begin to give less milk, get sick and literally go crazy from their annoying neighbors.

Horseflies need blood not only as food, but also as a substance that allows them to reproduce. One female is capable of hatching more than 2 thousand eggs laid in the ground per season. Often the laying sites are plant leaves or moss.

The larvae mature for 2 weeks in the shell, then hatch and remain in an underdeveloped state for another six months and feed on the remains of plant food. Only in spring does the process of final ripening begin, which lasts more than a month.

Due to the fact that animal carcasses are also a favorite delicacy, they are carriers of dangerous diseases, including polio, ulcers, etc.

Appearance

The horsefly does not even reach 3 cm in length. Its body is more elongated, unlike an ordinary fly. They have a large head, with disproportionately large eyes, allowing them to observe and attack moving subjects.

The wings are transparent or gray, single, like those of a fly. The body can be monochromatic: brown, gray, almost black, or beige with dark splashes.

Features of the gadfly

Nutrition and maturation

Very often there is confusion between horseflies and gadflies. The difference between them is nutrition. The latter practically do not feed and pester people and animals simply by their nature, imposing themselves like flies.

After hatching, females look for a mate, lay larvae and die immediately. Their life cycle lasts very short; they reserve strength for this time while still in the egg.

Adults are more intrusive than horseflies, since their goal is to lay eggs in the folds of the animal's body.

Mating of the male and female occurs a few days after hatching. They can live another month to have time to lay offspring. One individual is capable of laying about 700 eggs on the body of one animal.

The most common places for laying are:

groin area;
stomach;
hips.

Due to the fact that the animal’s body temperature exceeds the ambient temperature, after 3-5 days the bloodsucker larva hatches from the egg and moves under the host’s skin to the spine. There she bites a hole in the skin for breathing. After maturation, it falls out of the hole, remains for some time in the animal’s place of residence (stall, barn) and flies away.

The appearance of the gadfly is practically no different from the appearance of an ordinary fly. It does not exceed 1.5 cm in length. It has small transparent wings, large eyes and a black or brown body.

It does not attack humans directly; even the human gadfly uses bloodsuckers in contact with humans to implant eggs under a person’s skin. Eggs are often carried by mosquitoes.

Conclusion

Horseflies and gadflies differ not only in size, but also in their feeding habits and lifestyle.

The horsefly matures over a period of more than 9 months, but the gadfly hatches in a matter of days and goes to the mating sites. Despite the fact that the latter do not drink blood, they bring more unpleasant sensations when they get under the skin of an animal or person.

The horsefly, being a blood-sucking insect, causes inconvenience to both animals and people in the warm season. Many people are familiar with its obsessive buzzing and painful bites. In hot weather, far from cities, horseflies stage real attacks, interfering with comfortable outdoor recreation or work in the garden. They also annoy livestock. What kind of insect is this and why does it attack?

Description of the insect

According to the biological classification, horseflies are an insect from the order Diptera and the suborder Tabanidae. This is a whole family, whose representatives around the globe number approximately 4,400 species, classified into 200 genera. The habitat of 200 species has been recorded in the CIS.

Horseflies attract attention, first of all, as one of the components of midges, because pregnant females need to eat blood. Substances released during a bite cause a negative reaction in the body: allergies, inflammation, irritation.

Midges are called species of insects from the order Diptera that suck blood from mammals. In addition to horseflies, it includes ordinary mosquitoes, the exotic tsetse fly, etc.

The horsefly's body is very compact. The length of individuals depends on the species: from 0.6 cm in Haematopota koryoensis to 3 cm in Tabanus chrysurus. These large horseflies received the popular nickname “Black Flying Horse” in the West for their impressive dimensions. The body is neatly flattened in the abdominal area. The insect's flight ability is provided by 2 wide wings.

In the photo - horsefly Tabanus chrysurus, the largest representative of its family

The horsefly's body is protected by a thin covering of chitin. Its layer is thicker on the chest and head. The degree of pubescence of an insect depends on its species. Biologists have identified a pattern according to which the inhabitants of steppes and deserts have shorter villi than those living in mountainous areas. The color of horseflies does not attract attention: it is dominated by muted shades of gray, brown, yellow, so the horsefly blends in with its environment.

The thoracic region is wide and massive. Its surface is covered with microscopic villi of small thickness, sitting close to each other, due to which dense pubescence is formed. Wide wings are attached to the middle part of the horsefly's chest. In some specimens they are completely transparent, while in others they are painted with veins that create a mesh pattern, or are decorated with light gray spots. The hind pair of wings is now a vestige. It is transformed into special halteres, shaped like round-headed pins intended for sewing.

Thanks to the halteres, the fly balances during flight and makes a characteristic sound that certainly accompanies its appearance.

Horseflies have a fairly large armed proboscis that hides sharp stilettos inside. The oral apparatus is equipped with palps, antennae, and mandibles; and its structure allows it to both feed on plant foods and drink blood from large animals.

Is the insect's name justified?

To people who are not previously interested in the peculiarities of the life of this insect, it may seem that it is blind or, at best, has not very good eyesight. In fact, everything is completely different: these blood-sucking flies have excellent vision.

The eyes of the horsefly are faceted, quite large in size, located on the sides of the head. Insects have color vision. It has difficulty distinguishing small details of the surrounding world, but it instantly reacts to flickering rays of light. The surface of the horsefly's eyes shimmers with different colors of the rainbow; sometimes covered with small but dense villi.

Some members of the family have 3 additional ocelli, which have a simple structure and are located on special tubercles in the crown area. Others have only elevations, but no visual organs on them. The rest of the horse flies do not even have tubercles.

If you carefully examine the eye area, you can determine the sex of the individual. The sign of a female is the presence of a vertical stripe on the forehead, separating the large compound eyes. Males do not have this feature. But their abdomen becomes pointed towards the end, which makes it easier to distinguish horse flies by gender.

How to treat?

The drug of choice for the treatment of teniahrynchiasis and other infections caused by tapeworms is niclosamide (trade names: “Fenasal”, “Iomezan”). The dosage of niclosamide depends on the age of the patient.

The standard dosage regimen for phenasal and other niclosamide-based drugs is given in the table.

Dosage of niclosamide for the treatment of cestodiasis (including teniahrynchiasis)

Age	Dosage
Up to 3 years	500 mg
From 3 to 6 years	1000 mg
From 6 to 9 years	1500 mg
Children over 9 years old and adults	2000 mg

The drug must be taken in the morning on an empty stomach in two doses: half the daily dosage in the morning, the second half after 1 hour. Drink enough boiled water. The release of digested fragments of the helminth body usually begins on the second day after treatment. To assess the effectiveness of the therapy, stool examination and scraping from the perianal folds are carried out (after 3 months).

Common types

Although the species diversity of the subfamily is great, in temperate climates the following types of horseflies are more common:

The bullfly lives throughout Europe. It is distinguished by its large size, because it reaches a length of 2.5 cm. When flying, it makes a loud buzzing sound. The chest of the bullfly is decorated with dark stripes and yellow hair, while the body of the insect is dirty brown. Representatives of this species are found even at an altitude of 2 km above sea level.
The horsefly lacewing, which is also called the moth, does not exceed 1.5 cm in length. It differs from its relatives in its bright, almost contrasting color: a black chest combined with yellow patches on the abdomen. But the real wealth of the insect is its attractive eyes, painted in shades of emerald and gold, shimmering spectacularly in the rays of the sun.
The rainfly looks more ordinary: its faded color cannot be called elegant. But the insect has a significant difference from its fellows: its activity increases in cloudy weather, while other horseflies prefer sunny days.

These are the three most popular types of horseflies that can be encountered in the CIS countries.

Who is the gadfly?

Cutaneous (subcutaneous).
Cavity.
Gastric.

At the same time, everyone looks like an ordinary fly. The length of its body does not exceed 20 mm. The body is mostly shaggy. The color is most often dark with orange tints. But there are also individuals with more “calm colors” - dark brown, coal-black or gray-blue. Gadflies are distinguished by their large heads with pronounced large eyes. The wings are transparent and miniature.

Gadflies relatively rarely attack humans (with the exception of Dermatobia hominis, living in South and Central America). Although they like to annoy him with their importunity. Of particular interest to them are animals and livestock, which these insects need for procreation.

Life of a horsefly

Where do horseflies live? They live on all continents of the world except Antarctica. They cannot be found on some remote islands separated from the mainlands: Iceland and Greenland. The largest number of horseflies (and, interestingly, also in terms of species diversity) are found in wetlands, at the boundaries of different zones, near pastures and livestock paddocks. Also, the number of insects increases as they approach populated areas.

These blood-sucking flies feel good in light forests, fields, steppes, as well as in deserts and on mountain slopes. Horseflies crowd into bodies of water where the necessary moisture is available. The larvae of most species develop in water. Adults spend most of their lives in flight, being well oriented in the area. They love sunny and hot weather, so they are most active during the daytime on summer days.

Nutrition

The diet of a horsefly depends on its developmental phase and gender. Insect larvae consume invertebrate animals that live in water bodies or soil. The food of adult specimens, called adults, varies: males feed only on plant products (nectar of flowers, plant juice) or “milk” from aphids, and fertilized females are literally bloodthirsty. For its vital functions, animal blood is required - up to 200 mg per “meal”. While the female is not expecting offspring, she can subsist on plant food.

Females can feed on carrion: the corpses of animals that died 1-3 days ago. Because of this, insects become carriers of infectious diseases.

Horseflies are not averse to tasting human blood. This causes them to attack people. Therefore, anyone who has been outdoors near a pond in sunny weather at the height of summer probably remembers how a horsefly bites.

Reproduction

Caring for procreation and breeding offspring in blood-sucking flies begins in the warm season. The exact period depends on the climate of the area and the specific type of insect. The way horseflies reproduce is identical to the type of reproduction in dipterous insects. Under favorable circumstances, opposite-sex individuals mate, and after some time lay a clutch. Pregnant female horse flies need to feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals.

The development of horseflies takes place in 4 stages:

Eggs. One female can lay from 400 to 1000 pieces. The eggs have an elongated shape.
Larvae. They are spindle-shaped and have no limbs.
Doll. Looks like a butterfly pupa.
Imago is an adult insect. How long horseflies live depends on the species. But their life cannot be called long: it usually lasts one summer.

The total duration of horseflies from the moment of laying eggs until the death of the imago is up to 4 years.

List of sources

Human helminth infections: Epidemiology and control / F. F. Soprunov, E. S. Shulman, E. S. Leikina, etc. Ed. F. F. Soprunova. - M.: Medicine, 1985.
Parasitology and invasive diseases of farm animals / K. I. Abuladze, N. V. Demidov, A. A. Nepoklonov, S. N. Nikolsky, N. V. Pavlova, A. V. Stepanov. Ed. K. I. Abuladze. - M.: Agropromizdat, 1990.
Kornakova, E. E. Medical parasitology: textbook. / E. E. Kornakova. 2nd ed., rev. M., 2011. 224 p.
Kalenova, L. F. Some biological patterns of formation of the “parasite-host” system / L. F. Kalenova // Medical parasitology and parasitic diseases. 2009. No. 3. pp. 16–20.
Epidemiology / ed. L. P. Zueva, R. Kh. Yafaeva. St. Petersburg: Foliant, 2006. pp. 258–267.

Is horsefly harmful to humans?

Horseflies often bite people. The insect's saliva causes a painful reaction on the skin. Some suffer from an allergy to the bites of blood-sucking flies, and then the affected area swells greatly. Together with saliva, toxic substances that cause pain and swelling, and anticoagulants that prevent blood clotting enter the wound. Horseflies pose a particular danger as carriers of infectious diseases. Therefore, if you have a fever after the attack, you should seek medical help.

Knowing what a horsefly looks like, you can distinguish it from other insects. It is difficult to avoid meeting him on summer days with clear weather. During the period when female flies are bearing offspring, they are extremely aggressive and often attack people. To repel horseflies, insecticides are used in the form of a spray or aerosol, and special traps are built in the areas.

Many people have come across these large flies that live in damp countryside, but few people know that horseflies and gadflies can be deadly to humans. The Russian Seven publication spoke about the threat posed by these insects.

Horseflies

Horseflies, unlike gadflies, are equipped with a fleshy proboscis, inside of which there are hard and sharp piercing and cutting blades. This is why a horsefly bite is so painful. The skin in this area remains thick and red for several days, and a slight temperature may rise. Only females drink blood; males use plant juices for nutrition. Unfertilized females also drink flower nectars, but to lay eggs they only need blood and as much as possible. Cases have been recorded where, after being attacked by a dozen horseflies, a person ended up in intensive care and required a blood transfusion. The average amount of blood taken from one horsefly bite is equal to almost 70 mosquitoes.

Vectors of infections

But the main danger for animals and humans is not that horseflies drink their blood, but that they inject their saliva with toxic and anticoagulant components into the tissues. But in addition to these components, horsefly saliva often contains nematodes and other bacteria. These large flies are the main carriers of such dangerous diseases as anthrax, tularemia, trypanosomiasis, and filariasis. And at the initial stage of infection, people usually do not go to the doctor, believing that the ulcers that grow at the site of the bite are just the consequences of a horsefly attack. Therefore, immediately after a horsefly attack, you should apply pressure to the bite site to reduce the spread of its saliva, cool the swollen skin with ice, rinse the wound with water and cauterize it with alcohol, brilliant green or iodine. If during the first 24 hours after the bite the redness and swelling on the skin does not subside, but rather begins to increase, then you should immediately consult a doctor.

Gadflies

There are about 150 species of gadflies, but 2 species are dangerous to humans, which are often found in our country.

Larvae of subcutaneous gadflies

Horseflies are a real problem. I remember that even Pushkin lamented in his novel in verse that flies and mosquitoes interfere with enjoying the red summer. Probably, the great poet had not yet encountered a bullfly, otherwise he would have been given a special place in his poems. Or maybe Alexander Sergeevich simply included him in the category of flies. After all, both of them belong to the same order - Diptera.

What harm do they cause?

Horseflies attack mainly large animals - elk, deer, roe deer and, first of all, livestock. But they also bite small animals - rodents, birds.

Horseflies do not disdain even fresh corpses, which makes them especially dangerous carriers of infections.

In addition, horseflies can carry polio, anthrax and some other serious diseases. Since horseflies live near bodies of water, where the best pastures are located, livestock farming suffers greatly from these insects.

Cows, even with a moderate number of horseflies, quickly lose weight, and milk yield decreases by 10–15%. In people, the saliva of horseflies sometimes causes pain, and wounds from bites sometimes fester.

Horseflies are blood-sucking, large-sized dipterous insects.

The eyes of horse flies are beautiful - they are golden and shimmer with rainbow colors. Their wings are usually transparent, although often with spots of a smoky hue, and their abdomen is thickened.

The life cycle of a horsefly has common stages with the usual features of the life cycle of other bloodsuckers.

In horseflies, males consume exclusively the nectar of flowers and secretions of aphids, scale insects, as well as the sweet sap of wounded trees. Unfertilized female horse flies feed in the same way, but after fertilization their aggressiveness increases infinitely. They attack animals and people on hot days in the morning until sunset. As for rainflies, they are active even in cloudy weather, usually before rain.

At close distances, horseflies use vision and are able to perceive the movement of objects and their contours. Sometimes they make mistakes and fly for a long time behind moving vehicles, sometimes even flying into train cars and buses.

Females that have drunk blood quickly digest it. After a day, the remaining blood in the stomach is reduced, and the digested nutrients go to feed the growing ovaries. After two days, there is practically no blood left in the horsefly’s intestines. After seventy-two hours, the eggs finally ripen and digestion stops. The frequency of egg laying is thus about three to four days after bloodsucking. After repeated bloodsucking, female horseflies are capable of performing about five similar cycles, resulting in laying more than three and a half thousand eggs. This figure can vary greatly depending on the species of horseflies.

Horsefly eggs are usually laid on plants, usually over the water of swamps and lakes. The hatched larvae enter the water and live for some time in the moss cover or in the upper layers of damp soil. They feed on plant debris or, for example, the larvae of other insects and earthworms.

Horseflies are large blood-sucking flies.

Any representative of the midges annoys warm-blooded animals with its bites. But the bullfly is among the first in this ranking. He bites very painfully, cutting the body with his stilettos located near the mouth. It also introduces a substance into the wound so that the blood does not clot longer. Because of this, the bite site becomes inflamed and itchy. This may even cause an animal or a person to develop a fever and feel worse. With multiple bites, high intoxication was recorded in people, which had to be treated in a hospital.

This insect is called that only - the bullfly. But in fact, he doesn’t disdain anyone. Cows and horses that are tied, if they are attacked by many horseflies, break away and run away from these places. It also happens that an animal, tormented by stinging insects, rushes into an impenetrable thicket so that the branches of trees and bushes can save them from the torment, goes into the water and gets stuck in the swamps.

It's good if they return to their place of detention. But often cattle, disorientated from pain, may get lost and not find their way back, getting caught in bushes or tree trunks with a tether rope and dying without water or drink. And swamps do not always release their prey.

If at the very least you can knock a painfully stinging insect off your croup with your tail, legs, or horns, then it is almost impossible to shake them off your head and muzzle. Caring owners even put specially sewn sweatshirts on their pets, which the bullfly cannot cut through. Some even manage to make and put stockings on the cattle’s feet to protect the poor animal from this scourge.

How harmful are gadflies?

Gadflies naturally pose the greatest danger to livestock. Once in the body of an animal, the eggs of these flying bloodsuckers quickly turn into vile and voracious larvae, which absorb nutrients in huge quantities, cause various diseases, and sometimes lead to death.

It turns out that human contact with a gadfly can lead to dangerous infection. The most common diseases:

conjunctivitis;
dermatobiasis;
allergy;
dermatitis;
hypodermatosis.

So if you were unable to avoid infection, then you should not delay contacting a medical facility. An examination and consultation with a doctor is the first thing required in this case.

The most important thing to understand is that horseflies and gadflies are completely different insects. There are a lot of differences between them

Let's try to list the main ones:

Often deer, roe deer, cows and horses, when the gadflies approach, kick and, desperately shaking their heads, take off running.

He didn’t just bite, he infected him with a disease!

The bullfly is an extremely harmful insect. In addition to the fact that this bloodsucker annoys cattle with its bites, it spreads various diseases. This includes tularemia, anthrax, filariasis, trypanosomiasis, and polio.

The bull horsefly does not hesitate to taste the blood of three-day-old corpses. And this is even worse than the transfer of infection from one living being to another. After all, if an animal died precisely as a result of a fatal disease, then there is no guarantee that the insect will not infect a person or livestock with it.

Treatment

Treatment of bovine tapeworm in humans is carried out conservatively on an outpatient basis. For deworming, special medications are used: Niclosamide , Praziquantel , Biltricide , Phenasal . Drugs for treatment are prescribed according to a certain scheme and the course of treatment allows the patient to get rid of helminths, as evidenced by reviews from people visiting a special forum. The bovine tapeworm dies after taking an anthelmintic drug and is excreted during defecation.

The doctors

specialization: Parasitologist

Fedosyuk Alexander Vasilievich

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Medicines

Niclosamide

Praziquantel

Biltricide

Fenasal

Deworming drugs ( Praziquantel , Biltricid , Niclosamide , Fenasal ).

Procedures and operations

Taking saline laxatives and performing cleansing enemas.

Appearance

The bullfly is a large fly. It reaches a size of 2.4 centimeters. This is among Diptera.

The body of the insect is colored with blackish stripes. The breast is covered with yellow-black hairs. The abdomen of the horsefly itself is flat and consists of segments. In the middle of each tergite there is a gray-yellow or white elongated triangle with concave sides. A yellow-red stripe runs along the lateral edges of the abdomen.

The wings of the bullfly are brown and transparent. Behind the two well-developed wings are two halteres.

The insect's eyes are large, with multi-colored iridescent stains. In females there is a visible dividing strip between them. The male bull horsefly differs from it in that its interocular space is almost imperceptible, it is so small.

External differences between individuals of different sexes are called. In horseflies, it is expressed in the fact that the abdomen of the male is pointed at the end, while that of the female is round.

Spread of the bullfly

This is one of the most tenacious creatures on Earth. The bullfly is an insect that lives in almost all corners of Eurasia and even in Africa - in the north-west of the continent. It can be found even in the mountains, 2 km above sea level. There are no horse flies only, perhaps, in places of permafrost and in a desert completely devoid of vegetation.

And this happens because the bullfly, whose habitat is the edges of forests, pastures, and the shores of water bodies, is capable of producing offspring in huge numbers in one season.

Scientific classification

This insect belongs to the phylum Arthropoda. The bull horsefly is a species of two-winged insects. The suborder of this insect is Short-whiskered. Its scientific name is Tabanus bovinus. It is part of the horsefly family. Their females are components of the midges.

Archaeologists are finding the remains of the ancestors of modern horseflies. The approximate time of their habitat is the Oligocene.

Reproduction of horsefly

The female lays up to a thousand elongated grayish eggs at a time, attaching them to the leaves of plants. The insect prefers to do this near bodies of water. After hatching, the larvae burrow into moist soil. There they lead a predatory lifestyle. After some time, the larvae pupate. During this period, they are very similar to butterfly pupae.

Before the important process of laying eggs, the female must be well nourished with the blood of animals, birds or people. In some cases, when there are no warm-blooded mammals around, the insect even attacks monitor lizards. And these reptiles are cold-blooded reptiles.

This fact once again confirms the opinion that this was called the bullfly in vain. He, or rather she, does not adhere to clearly limited boundaries when it comes to the question of who exactly is worth attacking in order to get enough.

Why was the gender specification used in the previous phrase? Yes, because the male bull horsefly feeds on nectar and sugary secretions of plants and aphids. For this reason, it is not blood-sucking. And the female also does not need blood before fertilization.

Three to four days after laying, the female can repeat the blood-sucking procedure. After this, she is again able to lay a batch of eggs. This process can be repeated up to five times per season. As a result, the female horsefly will lay up to 3,500 eggs!

Pathogenesis

Bovine tapeworm parasitizes the human intestine, attaching itself with suckers to the mucous membrane of the small intestine. As a result, damage and irritation of mucosal receptors occurs, which has a negative effect on the secretory/motor functions of the intestine. During the process of development/growth, the parasite intensively consumes nutrients, thereby creating a deficiency of biologically valuable components. An important role in the pathogenesis of teniarynchosis is played by the release of substances by the bovine tapeworm that block the action of the intestinal enzyme system, as well as sensitization of the human body by metabolic products of the parasite.

Meaning in nature

Many people, especially rural residents, who are bothered by these evil blood-sucking flies and interfere with the breeding of livestock, have a question: why not lime the bullfly at all? But it turns out that this is absolutely impossible to do. After all, this insect, like all others, is a component of natural communities. By wiping it off the face of the Earth, the established balance can be disrupted. This will definitely have a negative impact.

In fact, horseflies serve as food for dozens of groups of animals: birds, fish, reptiles. It is not without reason that many fishermen use this particular insect as bait. And quite successfully, by the way.

The corpses of insects, falling to the ground, fertilize it, which is also one of the reasons for the inexhaustibility of our soils.

Another question: how to reduce the harm caused by this vile? As it turns out, horseflies cannot tolerate the smell of wormwood. Therefore, it is recommended to hang bunches of this fragrant grass on door jambs and window frames during the period when these insects are especially active (June-July). It is unlikely that there will be a horsefly who dares to overcome such an obstacle.

In barnyards, in order to reduce the number of bloodsuckers, they arrange special reservoirs for them, pouring a little fuel oil or kerosene into them. Insects, trying to get drunk while flying, cannot take off and fall into a puddle where they die.

People who are forced to do things in the garden or yard at noon, graze animals in pastures or do work in the fields use chemical repellents as protection against bites. Clothing made of thick fabric also helps them. The face is protected with a hat with a net, such as beekeepers usually use.

Interesting facts related to the lifestyle of the bullfly

Adult insects of this species do not feed. Adults spend most of their time in flight, guided by vision.

Female horse flies react to large moving objects. Therefore, they often choose cars or boats as their victims and begin to chase them. The speed of a moving object can reach 40 kilometers per hour. Moreover, horseflies will pursue a boat that has sailed several hundred kilometers from the shore!

Experiments have proven that horseflies do not attack striped objects. Apparently, this is due to the structure of their visual organs. What confuses them especially is the fact that the stripes are not parallel. Zebras that have exactly this color practically do not suffer from horsefly attacks.

Horseflies belong to the order Diptera, suborder Short-whiskered. At the moment, the species of horseflies in the world fauna reach 4400, they are combined into 200 genera. The territory of the CIS countries is inhabited by about 200 species of these insects. Fossil horseflies appeared approximately 3.9–23.03 million years ago.

Tips from Gardex

An abundance of horseflies is observed in hot weather. Don't forget to take insect repellent for your outdoor activities in July.

A measure of personal protection against horse flies is clothing that covers most of the body and a hat with a net on the head.

Treat exposed areas of the body with repellent from the Gardex Extreme line.

Preventive measures

As they say, prevention is the best cure. Therefore, when going for a walk or a trip to nature, you need to take measures to protect yourself and your loved ones.

When going outdoors, you need to pay special attention to the choice of clothing. It should not be of bright colors, so as not to attract undue attention from horse flies.

It is better to give preference to things that cover the body as much as possible, made of dense, but breathable fabrics, of a khaki color. It is not recommended to use perfume in such cases, as it attracts insects.

Various repellents containing 20% diethyltoluolamide in the form of creams, lotions, and sprays will help repel horse flies. You can also use traditional methods:

If you are going to live in a rural area, then you need to collect wormwood and tansy in small bunches. By hanging them outside on the walls of the house at the entrance and windows, a person will scare away horse flies that try to approach the home.
Bouquets of tansy and chamomile in the house would be useful. You can spread tansy stems around the tent if you have to spend the night outdoors. This plant perfectly repels blood-sucking insects.
When making a fire, it is recommended to burn several chamomile flowers and stems in it. Then evening gatherings by the fire will be safer. You can also use valerian, juniper pine, wheatgrass root, and cinnamon.
If you treat the body with a solution of carbolic acid, horseflies will never attack.
To repel blood-sucking insects, an effective remedy is to lubricate exposed areas of the body with fish oil.
You can sprinkle chamomile tincture on your body and clothes. The most effective in this regard are the Persian and Caucasian species of this plant.
If there are puddles nearby, you can pour a little gasoline or diesel fuel into them. Flies that want to get drunk on the fly, having landed in such traps, will no longer fly up.

Sometimes it happens that you have to stop for the night in places where there are concentrations of horse flies, mosquitoes and mosquitoes. Then it is better to follow the safety rules:

you need to set up your camp on a hill, away from the swamps,
sleep under a mosquito net, and if possible, smear your face with mud (silt), especially before going to bed,
It’s better to tuck your trousers into your socks or shoes,
put on all your clothes, especially at night,
be sure to use a protective mask and gloves,
Use repellents applied to clothing; they retain their effect for weeks.

There are many recipes on how to avoid insect attacks, but the main thing is to use them in time and correctly.

Features of reproduction and habitat

Horseflies, like other dipterous insects, have 4 developmental phases: egg, larva, pupa, imago. Females lay eggs along the banks of lakes and rivers in huge groups, up to 1000 pieces in each. They also constantly drink water so as not to die from the heat, because horseflies are most active during the day in warm, sunny weather.

It is precisely because of the characteristics of reproduction and habitat that adult horseflies are found in large numbers near water bodies and in wetlands. The presence of humans or livestock affects the increase in the number of horseflies, so areas where people gather or livestock grazing become areas of concentration of these insects.

Consequences of a bite

The consequences of a horsefly bite are swelling and allergies. Pregnant women may experience intrauterine fetal death, premature birth, or miscarriage.

Infection of a wound can contribute to the development of an inflammatory and infectious process, including blood poisoning (sepsis) and bacteremia (high levels of bacteria in the body). Tetanus and gas gangrene may develop.

Allergic reaction

A person who is bitten by an allergy may experience an attack of suffocation or anaphylactic shock. There may even be a coma and eventual death.

Need for protection

Horseflies can be carriers of dangerous diseases: anthrax, tularemia, trypanosomiasis, filarosis. In addition, gadflies can cause diseases in cattle, horses and camels.

To protect against horseflies, combine mechanical and repellent products. Mechanical includes clothing made of dense fabrics, repellent includes specialized products for protection against gadflies, presented, for example, in the Gardex Extreme line: repellent aerosol against mosquitoes, midges and horseflies, as well as aerosol against all flying blood-sucking insects and ticks.

Prevention

Preventive measures include a complex of veterinary medical measures, including:

Annual examinations of high-risk individuals (livestock breeders, workers in meat processing plants, slaughterhouses and members of their families, cooks.
Carrying out deworming (if patients are identified) and dispensary observation of them for 6 months.
Education of a wide range of people aimed at eliminating raw beef from the diet and observing technology/temperature conditions when preparing meat dishes from their beef.
Veterinary supervision of meat (veterinary and sanitary examination).
Protection from contamination of environmental objects by parasite eggs (arrangement of toilets, control of animal keeping). Finnosis is being detected in animals (meat).