228 



TABANID^ 



[CH. 



The males live entirely on the juices of flowers, honeydew, 

 etc., and, in the absence of other food, the female will also feed 

 on these substances. By nature, however, the female feeds on 

 blood, and is one of the most blood-thirsty of all insects. Its 

 bite is painful, but usually is not followed by any marked 

 inflammation, or swelling. 



Life-cycle. The eggs of the Tabanidae are commonly laid 

 in large shapely masses on the leaves and stems of plants 

 growing in marshy ground, or overhanging water. In some 

 species they are deposited on stones or rocks above the water 

 of streams, and are very diflicult to discover. 



Fig. 60. A rock at Khor Arbat, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, showing sites 

 selected by Tabanus kingi for ovipositing (indicated by crosses) ; the 

 three lower crosses represent freshly laid egg-masses. (After King.) 



The eggs of Tabanus par were observed by King to be laid 

 separately on the under surface of the leaves of water-plants. 

 The colour of the eggs is usually brown or black, and at ordinary 

 summer temperatures they hatch out in from seven to nine days. 



