We have a variety of flying insect here called the March fly, or Tabanid, so named because it tends to appear in March. This year, however, it’s arrived early. 

While we’ve learnt to cope with flies and mosquitos, March flies are something else again. These flies are huge, with large prominent eyes that give them a particularly sinister appearance.

A major pest of livestock, the female March fly is not averse to biting humans to extract blood on which it feeds. 

With blade-like mouthparts, it painfully pierces the skin and can also inflict a bite through clothing. If left undisturbed, the fly will continue feeding from blood that oozes from the puncture wound. The benign male fly, however, feeds only on nectar and plant juices.

Early last night I was bitten on the upper arm by a March fly. It only rested on me for two seconds at most but its bite has left a large and itchy swelling which I’ve been slathering with anti-histamine cream.

March flies are said to be particularly prevalent near water. I’m guessing that the bird bath on the deck has attracted them in large numbers during this heat wave.

An adult March fly lives for only three to four weeks. That gives us hope that their season will be a brief one; perhaps even shorter if the pretty Grey Shrike Thrush that’s been warbling out there this morning enjoys feeding on them.