Tabanus bromius
Common Gadfly ( Tabanus bromius )
The common gadfly ( Tabanus bromius ) is a species of the family of the brakes ( Tabanidae ).
Features
The flies reach a body length of 11.5 to 19.5 millimeters. The head is silver-gray, on the edge of the back of the head there is no hair. The upper front bump is narrow, shiny black and is connected to the bottom. The compound eyes are green, about the middle runs horizontally a violet-red armband. The facets are approximately six times smaller in the lower third of the eyes, as above. The palps are thickened and white bubble -like. The antennae have the third element near the base of a small corner. The mesonotum is gray and bears on the top five indistinct longitudinal lines. The halteres are colored black brown, the wings are transparent and have brown veins. The abdomen is black and carries three rows of yellowish hairy spots, yellow seams and oblique spots on reddish ground. The ventral side of the abdomen is light gray. In females, the second to fourth tergite is strongly red-yellow colored, as in the males and the forehead between the eyes is four to five times higher than wide. The lower Gesichtsschwiele is oblong, square, shining black.
Occurrence and life
The species occurs in North Africa, Europe and Central Asia. They are from May to September pastures and often even in buildings. The female imagos feed on the blood-suckers, the males suck plant juices.