Factors Influencing the Activity of Blinders (Diptera, Tabanidae)

Abstract

This article summarizes the available literature data on association of blood-sucking horseflies (Diptera, Tabanidae) with various abiotic factors (illumination, air temperature, wind and humidity). In recent years, studies on the daily and seasonal activity of horseflies in various territories of our country have been significantly expanded. The gnat complex includes mosquitoes (the family Culicidae), horseflies (Tabanidae), blackflies (Simuliidae) and sandflies (Ceratopogonidae). Factors that determine high abundance of the gnat are favorable climatic conditions for their reproduction and existence combined with abundance of breeding biotopes (various reservoirs and swamp formations), and habitat of adults (woody, shrub or tall herbaceous vegetation available), as well as a sufficient number of warm-blooded animals, a source of engorgement. The damage depends on high abundance of these insects and can adversely affect the health of farm animals and humans due to the transmission of infectious and invasive diseases. The development of effective measures to control horseflies based on the knowledge of biology of these insects, is one of the urgent tasks of agricultural science aimed at increasing animal productivity.