Remember that not all biting flies are horse flies, even though they may bother your horses!
The flies our horse fly trap catches are commonly known as greenheads, yellow flies, deer flies, and black B-52 bombers. These flies are from the family Tabanidae.
Other biting flies that bother horses and help carry diseases are stable flies and horn flies. These are from the Muscidae family. Horse fly eggs and larvae are found in wet, swampy areas. Stable flies and horn fly eggs and larvae are found in fecal matter, urine-soaked bedding, or in the wet, decomposing straw found around round hay bales.
Another difference is the way these different flies bite. Signs of horse fly bites are trails of blood from the wound that the horse fly leaves after cutting the skin and pumping in a substance that allows the blood to flow. Stable fly and horn fly bites tend to be less bloody, with much smaller ‘dots’ of blood left after feeding.
If you are still unsure about the type of flies on your property, please contact us before purchasing an H-Trap. If you have pictures that can help our entomologist identify the flies that are bothering your animals and family, please send them to us by email at [email protected].
