Biting, flying insect...?

I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking around
Bray gravel pit. I hadn't realised the culprit was there, hidden by the edge
of my sleeve until the sharp pain.So I didn't observe it dispassionately to
help with identification. Perhaps 15mm long with wings held delta-fashion so
its body didn't show much. Wings seemed mostly black (dark) but with light
spots.

Later what I think was the same species briefly alighted on my sweater so I
was more patient, but only got an impression of bright green eyes and
perhaps a proboscis.

I'm happy to report that the swelling is barely detectable and the itch
quite minor, so my reactions were quick enough or the insect not very
noxious.

I've had a scan through my Chinery and other insect books without any useful
ideas. Any offers, please?

Mike.
--
If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote:

> I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking
> around Bray gravel pit. I hadn't realised the culprit was there,
> hidden by the edge of my sleeve until the sharp pain.So I didn't
> observe it dispassionately to help with identification. Perhaps 15mm
> long with wings held delta-fashion so its body didn't show much.
> Wings seemed mostly black (dark) but with light spots.
>
> Later what I think was the same species briefly alighted on my
> sweater so I was more patient, but only got an impression of bright
> green eyes and perhaps a proboscis.
>
> I'm happy to report that the swelling is barely detectable and the
> itch quite minor, so my reactions were quick enough or the insect not
> very noxious.
>
> I've had a scan through my Chinery and other insect books without any
> useful ideas. Any offers, please?

Chrysops

Peter Alaca wrote:
> Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote:
>
>> I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking
>> around Bray gravel pit. ...>
> Chrysops

Thanks. Chinery doesn't say anything about pain, but "rarely far from
water"...

Cheers, Mike.
--
If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote:

> Peter Alaca wrote:
>> Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote:
>>
>>> I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking
>>> around Bray gravel pit. ...>

>> Chrysops
>
> Thanks. Chinery doesn't say anything about pain, but "rarely far from
> water"...

They are realy beautifull with their golden/green
eyes and mottled wings, but have a nasty bite,
sometimes the blood poures out and some
people get big swellings.

btw, search Google with 'Chrysops relictus'

--
p.a.

I once had a similar 'not finding' of this common fly: the picture
books often seem to be drawn/photographed from museum collections and
they don't do justice to the brilliance of the eyes in life. (Similar
problems with those fluorescent spiders...)

You certainly know all about it when you stop to admire one on your
arm, and then it sinks its 'teeth' in!

Mind you, nothing, in my experience compares with black fly bites. If
I am foolish enough to stay in the garden too near to sun down, next
day I have lumps the size of extra muscles, that weep pus for days!
(And this in a garden with no running water!)

S

On 31 Jul, 23:46, "Peter Alaca" <p.al...@purple.invalid> wrote:
> Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote:
>
> > Peter Alaca wrote:
> >> Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote:
>
> >>> I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking
> >>> around Bray gravel pit. ...>
> >> Chrysops
>
> > Thanks. Chinery doesn't say anything about pain, but "rarely far from
> > water"...
>
> They are realy beautifull with their golden/green
> eyes and mottled wings, but have a nasty bite,
> sometimes the blood poures out and some
> people get big swellings.
>
> btw, search Google with 'Chrysops relictus'
>
> --
> p.a.

spamlet wrote:
> You certainly know all about it when you stop to admire one on your
> arm, and then it sinks its 'teeth' in!

When I read that these are the "horse flies" I realised what hide they are
designed to cope with!

Mike.
--
If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

"Mike Coon" <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk> wrote in message
news:46b22285$0$1602$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
> spamlet wrote:
>> You certainly know all about it when you stop to admire one on your
>> arm, and then it sinks its 'teeth' in!
>
> When I read that these are the "horse flies" I realised what hide they are
> designed to cope with!
>
>
Horse fly bites can cause severe reactions and swelling in humans which can
need GP and sometimes hospital treatment. My late mother got bitten by one
on the ankle and the swelling spread so much up the leg that she had to go
to hospital.
And yes, she knew what had bitten her. It was her pleasure and delight to
spend all her afternoons in Watermead Park, Leicestershire. She knew the
position of every plant, had identified it, knew every bird there and it's
song, every tree, every insect she saw she wasn't satisfied until she knew
its name. So if she said she was bitten by a horse fly, I believe it.

Tina

	#1
Mike Coon	Biting, flying insect...? I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking around Bray gravel pit. I hadn't realised the culprit was there, hidden by the edge of my sleeve until the sharp pain.So I didn't observe it dispassionately to help with identification. Perhaps 15mm long with wings held delta-fashion so its body didn't show much. Wings seemed mostly black (dark) but with light spots. Later what I think was the same species briefly alighted on my sweater so I was more patient, but only got an impression of bright green eyes and perhaps a proboscis. I'm happy to report that the swelling is barely detectable and the itch quite minor, so my reactions were quick enough or the insect not very noxious. I've had a scan through my Chinery and other insect books without any useful ideas. Any offers, please? Mike. -- If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

	#2
Peter Alaca	Re: Biting, flying insect...? Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote: > I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking > around Bray gravel pit. I hadn't realised the culprit was there, > hidden by the edge of my sleeve until the sharp pain.So I didn't > observe it dispassionately to help with identification. Perhaps 15mm > long with wings held delta-fashion so its body didn't show much. > Wings seemed mostly black (dark) but with light spots. > > Later what I think was the same species briefly alighted on my > sweater so I was more patient, but only got an impression of bright > green eyes and perhaps a proboscis. > > I'm happy to report that the swelling is barely detectable and the > itch quite minor, so my reactions were quick enough or the insect not > very noxious. > > I've had a scan through my Chinery and other insect books without any > useful ideas. Any offers, please? Chrysops

	#3
Mike Coon	Re: Biting, flying insect...? Peter Alaca wrote: > Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote: > >> I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking >> around Bray gravel pit. ...> > Chrysops Thanks. Chinery doesn't say anything about pain, but "rarely far from water"... Cheers, Mike. -- If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

	#5
spamlet	Re: Biting, flying insect...? I once had a similar 'not finding' of this common fly: the picture books often seem to be drawn/photographed from museum collections and they don't do justice to the brilliance of the eyes in life. (Similar problems with those fluorescent spiders...) You certainly know all about it when you stop to admire one on your arm, and then it sinks its 'teeth' in! Mind you, nothing, in my experience compares with black fly bites. If I am foolish enough to stay in the garden too near to sun down, next day I have lumps the size of extra muscles, that weep pus for days! (And this in a garden with no running water!) S On 31 Jul, 23:46, "Peter Alaca" <p.al...@purple.invalid> wrote: > Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote: > > > Peter Alaca wrote: > >> Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk > wrote: > > >>> I was bitten/stung on the heel of my hand on Friday while walking > >>> around Bray gravel pit. ...> > >> Chrysops > > > Thanks. Chinery doesn't say anything about pain, but "rarely far from > > water"... > > They are realy beautifull with their golden/green > eyes and mottled wings, but have a nasty bite, > sometimes the blood poures out and some > people get big swellings. > > btw, search Google with 'Chrysops relictus' > > -- > p.a.

	#6
Mike Coon	Re: Biting, flying insect...? spamlet wrote: > You certainly know all about it when you stop to admire one on your > arm, and then it sinks its 'teeth' in! When I read that these are the "horse flies" I realised what hide they are designed to cope with! Mike. -- If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.

	#7
Christina Websell	Re: Biting, flying insect...? "Mike Coon" <mjcoon@@connectfee.co.uk> wrote in message news:46b22285$0$1602$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net... > spamlet wrote: >> You certainly know all about it when you stop to admire one on your >> arm, and then it sinks its 'teeth' in! > > When I read that these are the "horse flies" I realised what hide they are > designed to cope with! > > Horse fly bites can cause severe reactions and swelling in humans which can need GP and sometimes hospital treatment. My late mother got bitten by one on the ankle and the swelling spread so much up the leg that she had to go to hospital. And yes, she knew what had bitten her. It was her pleasure and delight to spend all her afternoons in Watermead Park, Leicestershire. She knew the position of every plant, had identified it, knew every bird there and it's song, every tree, every insect she saw she wasn't satisfied until she knew its name. So if she said she was bitten by a horse fly, I believe it. Tina