Dark Giant Horse Fly vs Elephant Stomach Bot Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dark Giant Horse Fly Elephant Stomach Bot Fly
Scientific Name Tabanus sudeticus Cobboldia elephantis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Tabanidae Oestridae
Size 22-28 mm 14-18 mm
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Blood Feeders Parasites
Regions Northern Europe South and Southeast Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dark Giant Horse Fly

The largest horse fly in the British Isles, dark brown with a robust build. Females deliver an extremely painful bite to livestock and humans.

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Did You Know?

Its bite is considered the most painful of any European fly species.

Elephant Stomach Bot Fly

A rare bot fly whose larvae develop in the stomachs of Asian elephants. Females lay eggs around the mouth of the elephant, and larvae migrate to the stomach. It is one of only a few bot flies specialized on elephants, and its biology is poorly understood.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the largest and rarest bot flies, and wild specimens are extremely difficult to collect due to their association with elephants.