Slurp

great shots!

100% crop?? Looks like there's still a small percentage left.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either, but that's standard terminology for a tightly cropped image represented at the original resolution. In other words, I didn't shrink or re-size the image before cropping it in.

Wow. You, sir, are the man. (I am often moved to leave this comment on your blog, but it seems kinda silly so I usually don't. But this...)

Ha! Thanks, Steve.

Hi Alex,

What's the scientific name for this thing? The only info I can find for "long-tongued horse fly" is Philoliche aethiopica in South Africa.

Gorgeous photos - I admire your talent!

regards--ted

Ted- I wish I knew. I'm not even sure that it's really a Tabanid, although with those antennae I'm not sure what else it could be. Perhaps one of the fine diptera bloggers from NCSU will stop in and give us a hint...

Esenbeckia, probably E. delta.

It, like almost all other long-tongued horse flies, is in the Pangoniinae, the sister group to the rest of the family. Horseflies with more than 5 annulations on their antennal flagellum (postpedicel) are all pangoniines.

Thanks, Keith. I had thought it might be close to this thing. I wasn't really aware of the subfamily before - looks like we've got a few eastern species I can be on the lookout for.

Thanks Keith! I should put you on the payroll.

Great Shot!

And yes, everyone needs a taxonomist on the payroll. :)