Bug FAQTabanus taeniola
Tabanus taeniola · Order: Diptera · Family: Tabanidae
Source: Wikipedia
Tabanus taeniola is a horse fly found across Africa and into the eastern Mediterranean, from Nigeria westward to Saudi Arabia. It feeds on the blood of horses, donkeys, camels, dogs, men and cattle, and in Africa it is an important vector of Trypanosoma parasites that cause surra.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It belongs to the horse-fly family Tabanidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
The disease it spreads, surra, can be fatal to camels, equines, cattle and dogs.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species lives in Afrotropical regions and extends into the Palearctic, reaching the east Mediterranean coast through Egypt, Cyprus, the Levant and into Saudi Arabia.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Known hosts include horses, donkeys, camels, dogs, men and cattle. In Africa it acts as a vector for Trypanosoma parasites that cause the disease surra.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It was first described from a specimen collected in Nigeria in 1806.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Can Tabanus taeniola transmit disease to animals?
Yes, it can carry Trypanosoma parasites that cause surra, a potentially fatal disease in camels, horses, cattle and dogs.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is Tabanus taeniola found?
It is widespread in Africa and reaches the eastern Mediterranean, including Egypt, Cyprus, the Levant and Saudi Arabia.
Source: Wikipedia
What animals does this fly bite?
It feeds on the blood of horses, donkeys, camels, dogs, men and cattle.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tabanidae)
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Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabanus_taeniola
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Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.