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 Horse flies are large, about ¾ inch in body size. They are generally black, with large eyes. They breed near water, laying eggs in trees, tules and bullrushes, grasses, and other vegetation near their favorite water areas. Larvae bite other creatures found in water such as snails, and kill them with a venomous bite. They can be quite large and worm-like, up to 1 7/8 inches long. As with mosquitoes, only the female bites, and it
can be painful. They prefer horses (obviously) and cattle, but will readily bite humans. The males and some females make a meal from plant nectars and fluids
Life Cycle:
From 100-800 eggs are deposited on objects near water. They hatch in a week or less, and the larvae live in water or mud, feeding on organic matter. They go above the water level to pupate. Fly larvae are worm-like creatures popularly referred to as "maggots." They have no head or appendages. At the end of the larvae stage, they form a hard cell called a "puparium," from which the adult fly emerges. It generally takes one year per generation.
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