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Nature

Deer Flies

What is deer flies?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Family Tabanidae[1]
Genus Chrysops[2]
Common names horse flies; sheep flies[1]
Feeding, female blood[1]
Feeding, male pollen; plant juices[2]
Hosts humans; cattle; horses; dogs; other mammals[2]

Deer flies are bloodsucking flies in the family Tabanidae, commonly placed in the genus Chrysops. Females bite to obtain blood; males feed on pollen. They are pests to humans and cattle, and can transmit tularemia. Deer fly is a common name.

Context

Deer flies are bloodsucking flies in the family Tabanidae, commonly placed in the genus Chrysops, and are pests of humans and other mammals. The females bite to obtain blood, while males feed on pollen or plant juices. They are closely related to horse flies and can be confused with them. In North America, they are a known vector of tularemia. [1] [2]

Documented claims

  • Deer flies are described as pests to humans and cattle. [1]
  • The female bite is described as painful. [2]
  • Deer flies are closely related to horse flies and share the same family. [2]
  • In North America, deer flies are reported as a known vector of tularemia. [2]

Questions and answers

Are deer flies painful?

Yes, the female bite is described as painful. [2]

What do deer flies cause?

Deer flies are pests to humans and cattle, and in North America they are a known vector of tularemia. [1] [2]

Sources

  1. Deer Flies - Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative ... — extension.umaine.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Horse Fly/Deer Fly - Livestock Veterinary Entomology — livestockvetento.tamu.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature