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Hello!

Here are some other Tabanidae of which I am not certain. All pictures were taken in Ostwestfalen/Germany.

The first one, a female Haematopota, is quite dark, but I think this is not crassicornis (?). Photo taken on June 28, 2003.



These two pictures of male Haematopotas are of very poor quality (sorry). Can nonetheless something be said about their identity? First pic taken on June 26, 2004, second one on July 12, 2002.
http://insektenin...ota_M1.jpg
http://insektenin...ota_M2.jpg

Last but not least two photos of a Tabanus (?), taken on July 15, 2002.
http://insektenin...nus_1a.jpg
http://insektenin...nus_1b.jpg

Thanks for any hints!

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Hi Juergen


The picture you posted is definitely a female Haematopota pluvialis.
The yellowish-greenish overall colour gives it away.

The Haematopota in the link are, if you look closely, males.
The picture is not good enough to give you an ID.

The 'Tabanus'-link is not so clear. More likely some species of Hybomitra again. The yellow notopleural lobes and the dark colour of the eyes suggests either H. ciureai or H. muehlfeldi, but be aware that this is a very long shot indeed !

Looking forward to the pictures with your new camera.

Theo Zeegers

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Hello, Theo!



Therefore the 'M' in the filenames ;-).



So most of my "Tabanus" aren't really Tabanus at all... I have read about the genus Hybomitra before, but have no pictures in my books of it. I did not know that it is so similar to Tabanus. Thanks again for your help!

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It really is quite simple:

any 'Tabanus' with hairy eyes and three eyebands is Hybomitra
(unless.... you have got the exception T. quatuornotatus).

Always look at the eye pattern when alive !
And write it down.
This makes ID so much more easy.


Theo

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Hello, Theo!



Thanks, I will try to look at it, when I see one the next time. (Un)fortunately these Tabanidae are not very abundant here (not many cattle ranges here). 99% of all Tabanidae I find (mostly they find me...) are Haematopota. Those are much too abundant here in summer on my behalf... ;-)

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Hehe!

J?rgen, go out to the moist woodland and meet some friendly Chrysops. Find out they REALLY can sting ;-)

cheers - martin adler

p.s. is there something like a usable key for the Tabanidae of Central Europe?

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Hello, Martin!



I never saw a Chrysops here in the wood, but on some places near the wood's edge on some days the Haematopotas came over me like a bee swarm... Impossible to make insect photos undisturbed, when two dozens of them land on your arms, chest and even on your ears :-(. And I found out they can sting through two shirts...
Then there are only two ore three more quiet weeks, when the horseflies have disappeared and before the Hippoboscidae appear. They must think that I am a roe...