

We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Horseflies have large eyes, and, on a male horsefly the eyes will meet in the middle of the head. Males do not need blood and do not have the appropriate mouthparts. Historically, some forms of medication have used horseflies for their anti-clotting characteristics.
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It releases substances that stop blood clotting where the skin breaks. The horsefly is specially adapted to consume as much blood as possible. They can take up an estimated 200 milligrams (mg) of blood in a few minutes.

Horseflies mainly take blood from cows and horses, but they can bite humans, too.įemale horseflies need up to 0.5 milliliters (ml) of blood for reproduction, which is a large amount considering their size. This is similar to processes followed by other insects, such as mosquitos. They need blood to provide proteins that their eggs need to develop after fertilization. Worldwide, there are over 4,500 species of horsefly, some of which are called clegs.įemale horseflies bite large animals to maintain the life cycle. Many species lay their eggs on plants near water or in damp soil.
