Nature's most obnoxious vampires! (Horeseflies and Deerflies)
From Insects for Fun! by insectsforfun
April 1, 2026 · 15 min · Episode 161
About this episode
This episode explores the behavior and characteristics of horseflies and deerflies, including their unique hunting methods and painful bites.
This week we're diving into the family Tabanidae — better known as horseflies and deerflies, the scissor-mouthed bullies of the insect world. We cover how they find you using polarised light, CO2, and ammonia rather than body heat, and why their bite hurts so much more than a mosquito's. Also! what zebra stripes actually do, and why your dark shirt is working against you. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6
People in this episode
Host: insectsforfun
Topics covered
- horseflies
- deerflies
- insect behavior
- animal adaptations
- polarised light
- bite pain
Keywords
- horseflies
- deerflies
- Tabanidae
- insect bites
- polarised light
- zebra stripes
- CO2 detection
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Patreon, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Discord
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