Host and Feeding Side Preferences of the Horse Flies (Diptera: Tabanidae)

Abstract

This study observed the preferential host and feeding sites of horse fly species. A total of 2705 samples including 7 genera and 14 species were collected. Eight most abundant species were used in the analysis while Tabanus lunatus was ranked first with a rate of 50.55%. As a result of the analysis, eight species (T. lunatus, T. regularis, T. spodopterus, T. miki, T. bromius, T. bifarius, Silvius alpinus, Haematopoda subcylindrica) preferred the foot of hosts with a rate of 66.93%, while the back areas were used with a rate of 4.69%. Kruskall-Wallis test analysis showed that horse flies do not randomize their hosts and feeding sides on the hosts.