Nasty biting fly - genus Apatolestes, Tabanidae
This is a nasty biting fly in our mountains biting brave Julie's hand yesterday! I believe it is in the family Tabanidae of Horse and Deer Flies, but it is not much larger than a house fly and its eyes are quite plain unlike many other Tabanids. I believe it is genus Apatolestes in the subfamily Pangoniinae, maybe the species Apatolestes hinei. I reckon it's OK to call it a Deer Fly even though it is not in the subfamily Chrysopsinae. Usually the Rocky Mountain Bite Flies (Symphoromyia, Rhagionidae) -- see this photo and this photo -- are the worst biters in our mountains, but lately I've been bothered more by these. HFDF! (San Marcos Pass, 16 June 2022)
Nasty biting fly - genus Apatolestes, Tabanidae
This is a nasty biting fly in our mountains biting brave Julie's hand yesterday! I believe it is in the family Tabanidae of Horse and Deer Flies, but it is not much larger than a house fly and its eyes are quite plain unlike many other Tabanids. I believe it is genus Apatolestes in the subfamily Pangoniinae, maybe the species Apatolestes hinei. I reckon it's OK to call it a Deer Fly even though it is not in the subfamily Chrysopsinae. Usually the Rocky Mountain Bite Flies (Symphoromyia, Rhagionidae) -- see this photo and this photo -- are the worst biters in our mountains, but lately I've been bothered more by these. HFDF! (San Marcos Pass, 16 June 2022)