Bluebottle Fly vs Black Horse Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bluebottle Fly Black Horse Fly
Scientific Name Calliphora vicina Tabanus atratus
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Calliphoridae Tabanidae
Size 10-12 mm 20-28 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Carrion Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe, North America Eastern United States from the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Bluebottle Fly

A common metallic blue blowfly found in urban areas worldwide. Breeds in dead pigeons, rodents and meat. An important species in forensic entomology for estimating time of death.

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Did You Know?

One of the most important forensic indicator species, helping police estimate time of death from larval development stage.

Black Horse Fly

A very large entirely black horse fly and one of the biggest flies in North America. Females are persistent blood-feeders that can harass livestock and humans during summer months.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae are aquatic predators that live in muddy pond bottoms and can take up to two years to complete development.