Houseflies that bite?

[trees 2]

Well probably NOT houseflies then, but certainly look just like them.[:@]

We seemed to have LOADS this year. South 87. They land on you just like a fly does, and as you are preparing to swat them, you get a pain like someone touched you with a white hot needle!

I've also killed them on the windows inside with a fly swatter, to find a HUGE smear of what appears to be blood[+o(]

What are they? They don't look like any species of horsefly I've come across either. Someone suggested "Bot-flies" but I don't know........

[Cat]

Taons or horseflies http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1387184/ShowPost.aspx ?

http://images.google.fr/images?hl=fr&q=taon&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

[Patf]

Sorry, this is a bit disgusting[+o(] but I have seen, or rather felt, a large housefly attach itself to an open wound on my leg. Naturally I knocked it off and covered the wound. But it was having a meal. Yuck!

[Poppy]

Yes Puzzled the bog standard french house flies do bite, it was something that amazed us when we first moved here. They nip but don't leave any mark or reaction. We used to have a Gite and guests often complained about fleas. We explained it was flies and from look on their faces I'm sure they didn't believe us.

[betoulle]

if you have deer nearby more likely to be a deerfly - you get a swelling next day followed by a blister which itches like hell.......

[Poppy]

Many thanks Betoulle for information re the deerfly. Have just had for the last week the most unbelievable itchy bites with blisters. Even kept me awake for a couple of nights.

[trees 2]

[quote user="Cat"]

Taons or horseflies http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1387184/ShowPost.aspx ?

http://images.google.fr/images?hl=fr&q=taon&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

[/quote]

Doesn't look like any of those pics, they are a little smaller than a large housefly, (NOT a bluebottle), and as mentioned by Poppy, they settle, then there is a REALLY sharp pain, but no mark, no resulting itch, pain, raised area, nothing.

The pain is enough to make you jump, and exclaim, but leaves no lasting pain.

[Poppy]

Yes that's the blighter, probably a bit smaller than average house fly. Forgot about the dots but yes they are definitely spotty, have had a quick Google and come across the 'stable fly'

[Poppy]

So pleased the mystery has been solved. Well done Puzzled on catching the biter so that it could be identified.

I know people do not believe me when I tell them the flies bite [blink]

[trees 2]

That's the blighter, a sort of buff coloured abdomen, and the ones I've seen are flatter across the abdomen, maybe not gorged?

They certainly bite MY lower legs, when I wear shorts.

Could be something to do with living near a farm with cows.