THE INSECTLIBRARY FIELD GUIDES
Deer FlyIdentification, facts & practical guidance
Deer flies are Chrysops flies in Tabanidae. They are related to horse flies but are not interchangeable with every member of that family.
Compiled by the InsectLibrary Team · Updated · Editorial policy
Identification and lookalikes
Many deer flies have patterned wings and conspicuous eyes. Confirm the genus using wing and body features rather than size alone. Related horse flies can have different appearances.
Why deer flies bite
Females of many species take blood meals; males do not bite for blood. Larval habitats and adult activity vary, often involving wet environments.
What to do next
Use protective clothing and local bite-prevention guidance when flies are active. Seek medical advice for a significant reaction. A photograph of the fly is more useful for identification than a bite mark.
Deer Fly: species profiles
Explore 80 species profiles covered by this guide, with recorded names and available photos.
Twin-lobed Deerfly
Chrysops relictus
(c) Tatiana Strus, some rights reserved (CC BY)Chrysops vittatus
Chrysops vittatus
Splayed Deerfly
Chrysops caecutiens
Square-spot Deer Fly
Chrysops viduatus
Chrysops niger
Chrysops niger
Chrysops excitans
Chrysops excitans
Chrysops montanus
Chrysops montanus
Chrysops abatus
Chrysops abatus
Chrysops aberrans
Chrysops aberrans
Chrysops aestuans
Chrysops aestuans
Chrysops amazon
Chrysops amazon
Chrysops asbestos
Chrysops asbestos
Showing 12 of 80 species. Browse all in Diptera →
Sources and further reading
- mdc.mo.gov - horse deer flies tabanidshttps://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/horse-deer-flies-tabanids
References support the subject discussed here; they do not certify every imported directory record. Regional sources describe their own locations. Read our source and correction policy.