WTH is this thing?!?!?!

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • phylodog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,752
    113
    Arcadia
    Walked out on my back porch (screened in but the door propped open) and heard what sounded like a B1 bomber bouncing around out there. I looked over and saw this gigantic critter running into the screen trying to get out. I've never seen one of these unless it's just a horsefly at least twice the size of any I've seen before. For size reference, the pics were taken through the bottom of a jar with a standard sized ball lid on it.

    3HoVzQ2h.jpg


    7AUICJch.jpg
     

    2A_Tom

    Crotchety old member!
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Sep 27, 2010
    25,979
    113
    NWI
    We had horse flies like that in NJ, their bite was quite painful.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,688
    77
    Camby area
    Yep. Horse fly. Bites hurt like hell. Probably because it literally takes a teeny tiny chunk of skin. (as opposed to other insects that just poke a hole) I got bit by one and you could actually see a tiny divot in the skin where he bit me.
     

    2A_Tom

    Crotchety old member!
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Sep 27, 2010
    25,979
    113
    NWI
    Once when we were swimming there were a bunch of them. The would bite us whenever we surfaced we had to swim under water as long as we could. They were too fast to swat or catch. We finally got to shore, picked up our clothes and ran flailing our clothes to keep them off of us.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,688
    77
    Camby area
    Once when we were swimming there were a bunch of them. The would bite us whenever we surfaced we had to swim under water as long as we could. They were too fast to swat or catch. We finally got to shore, picked up our clothes and ran flailing our clothes to keep them off of us.

    Sounds like the flies up on Pelee island, Canada. The place has TONS of black water marshes and ditches, so the island is full of biting black flies. One year I went fully clothed to the lighthouse on the beach to see how bad they were. long pants and sleeves and a hat. TONS of OFF on my face and head. Didnt matter to those things. They wouldnt bite but they'd land long enough to be annoying. The swarm was so bad I ran all the way back to the car. The last 100 yards was on the road well away from their habitat. Even at a full run, I could still feel them bouncing off the back of my head up until the last 50 yards or so. It was crazy!

    I now know what it feels like to be swarmed like road kill. :):
     

    WhitleyStu

    Keep'em Scary Sharp!!!
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Feb 11, 2009
    1,466
    63
    Whitley County/Allen County
    Our front porch runs along the front two bedrooms. The horse flies like to land on the outside of those two bedroom windows. My wife and I like to see who can swat the most horse flies. We flip the dead ones into a pile so the birds can feast on them all day. "Country fun" in these boring times... Horse fly season is usually two or three weeks long each year.
     

    snorko

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    361   0   0
    Apr 3, 2008
    8,294
    113
    Evansville, IN
    Once when we were swimming there were a bunch of them. The would bite us whenever we surfaced we had to swim under water as long as we could. They were too fast to swat or catch. We finally got to shore, picked up our clothes and ran flailing our clothes to keep them off of us.

    Yeah, we had a cabin on a lake in Pike County when I was but a wee lad. Sometimes those and the smaller brown cousins would swarm you when floating on the lake and you had to constantly dive.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    Horse fly and they do bite hard. Watch when one latches on to your horse, from the reaction you can see how much it hurts.

    When I was a kid I would catch those around the barn and feed them to a big Carolina Wolf Spider that I kept in a large jar.
     
    Last edited:

    KJQ6945

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Aug 5, 2012
    37,538
    149
    Texas
    Horse fly and they do bite hard. Watch when one latches on to your horse, from the reaction you can see how much it hurts.

    When I was a kid I would catch those around the barn and feed them to a big Carolina Wolf Spider that I kept in a large jar.
    We are no longer friends! :faint:
     

    DoggyDaddy

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    73   0   1
    Aug 18, 2011
    102,070
    77
    Southside Indy
    Afraid of spiders?

    or

    Fly Lives Matter?

    Spiders have always kinda creeped me out. Not little bitty ones so much, but when they start getting bigger and hairier my creep level goes up. I'm cool with snakes, but for some reason I just don't care for spiders. I don't go screaming out of the room or anything, but I'm gonna kill 'em as quick as I can if I see one in the house. Outside I mostly let them be.
     

    KJQ6945

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Aug 5, 2012
    37,538
    149
    Texas
    Spiders have always kinda creeped me out. Not little bitty ones so much, but when they start getting bigger and hairier my creep level goes up. I'm cool with snakes, but for some reason I just don't care for spiders. I don't go screaming out of the room or anything, but I'm gonna kill 'em as quick as I can if I see one in the house. Outside I mostly let them be.
    ^^This is me as well. I’ll catch snakes all day long, doesn’t matter what kind, spiders, HELL NO! You can’t trust something with that many eyes.
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,752
    113
    Arcadia
    I don't mind spider too much but strongly prefer they not be on my body. I actually look forward to the Orb Weavers every summer, I'm always impressed with how large and quickly they build them.
     
    Top Bottom