Horse fly is a name for certain types of stout-bodied flies that live near water in pastures, fields, and forests. The adult male horse fly feeds on flower pollen and nectar. The female bites and sucks the blood of horses and other livestock, as well as people.
The female horse fly lays eggs in bunches on plants that grow in wet soil or hang over water. The wormlike larvae (young) develop in the mud and eat worms and other small animals. The eyes of the male horse fly are large and touch at the top of the head. The female’s eyes are smaller and do not touch.
Certain female horse flies carry diseases, such as tularemia and anthrax. They transmit the infection from one animal to another when they bite. Horse flies are difficult to control. Oil sprays and pyrethrum sprays have been used successfully to kill the adult flies.
