Which Insect is Most Feared in Summer? Not Mosquitoes, But Large Flies Like Horse Flies
Many people have encountered it, when they were young, they were happily playing with their friends, suddenly they felt a sharp pain in their exposed legs, upon closer inspection it turned out to be a large-sized fly. After being bitten, the wound swelled up, which was a childhood nightmare.
Later, after consulting knowledge, I realized that this large-sized fly is actually – 'horse fly'.
External features
Horse flies are also called horse mosquitoes, horse flies, blind bees, etc. This horse fly is like a big fly, many people will confuse horse flies and flies, which is normal. The horse fly has a large pair of eyes, the surrounding eyes almost all have fine and dense short and long hair, in order to protect the eyes from being damaged, compared to flies, it is not only the body is relatively long, but also the wings are relatively large, so that the horse fly can support long-term flight and hunting, and the vibration of the wings is extremely loud. In terms of color, it is all relatively dark gray and black.
Horse flies belong to the Tabanidae family. Tabanidae are insects that suck blood distributed in various places. Some Tabanidae are similar to mosquitoes, but when you are bitten by them, it is more painful than being bitten by mosquitoes.
Blood-sucking habits
The blood-sucking habits of horse flies are similar to those of mosquitoes, namely male does not suck blood, only sucking tree sap, flower nectar, etc. Because female needs a lot of nutrition for breeding, these nutrients are the easiest to obtain from the blood of other animals. We often see cattle swishing their tails to drive away small flies, these flies are horse flies.
When the female mosquito 'draws blood' for you, you may not feel pain, or even no sensation, because the mosquito's mouthparts are small, and the mosquito will release formic acid to prevent blood from clotting until it is full, then due to our own immune system's immune reaction, it will feel very itchy. Horse flies are different, their mouthparts are relatively larger and longer than mosquitoes, and they are like a small cone, which can easily pierce the skin of cattle, pigs, and poultry, let alone the fragile human skin.
Moreover, their blood-sucking way is very rough, every time they suck blood, they first break through the animal's skin and let blood out, then let the lip petals suck blood into the body. In order to prevent blood clotting, they also secrete horse fly saliva while sucking blood, this saliva will cause the bitten person to feel pain, and the part of the blood sucked will also swell and bleed, which is more convenient for them to suck blood. As long as they suck a mouthful of blood, it will be an unforgettable memory. If you encounter a horse fly, be careful not to be 'stabbed' by it. You can also actively shoot and kill it.
Living habits
Horse flies are widely distributed in Guangxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Shanxi, Henan, Liaoning and other regions. They are generally distributed in places near water and warmer temperatures. As long as there is water nearby, such as wetlands, still water out, rice fields, etc., they are ideal living environments. Generally, horse flies are active during the day, especially at noon when the sun is the largest, they are most active. Horse flies are naked pests, and humans, cattle, sheep and other animals are all harmed. Not only cause discomfort to people or livestock, but also spread many serious diseases.
Moreover, horse flies have strong environmental adaptability and reproductive capacity, and their reproduction capacity is very strong. In suitable environments, they can breed a generation in 20 days. Their larvae are mostly aquatic or semi-aquatic, so they live near water, such as on the bank of the stream and beside the pond. Because of the excellent survival ability of horse flies, most methods for controlling horse flies have no good effect.
Medicinal use
Horse flies, although they are pests, can be used as Chinese medicinal herbs. Horse flies have hemostasis and detoxification, and promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. Horse flies not only contribute as Chinese medicinal herbs, but also promote the development of horse fly artificial breeding industry, which is a kind of compensation for their harm.
Conclusion
Next time you encounter this large 'fly', be very careful. Prevent being 'stabbed' by it unintentionally. Especially in the summer, in hot weather, we all like to expose our skin, and summer is the most active time for horse flies, giving horse flies an opportunity, we need to take some protection, so as not to be harmed by horse flies.
