Knowledgebase

Albino House Fly?? #659985

Asked July 05, 2020, 2:28 PM EDT

I live in Columbia Md and yesterday a totally white house fly sized insect landed on me. I have never seen anything like it and have attached a photo to see if you can identify it. Very curious. Thanks

Howard County Maryland

Expert Response

This is indeed interesting. It could be a Green Horse Fly (Chlorotabanus crepuscularis) or another Tabanid (Deer/Horse Fly) which has recently molted into adulthood and not yet darkened to its final coloration. (Called "teneral," they can sometimes fly while in this state even if their pigments haven't finished developing.)
Green Horse Fly: https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/9565

As there are nearly a hundred species of Tabanid flies recorded in Maryland, it's unfortunately not a simple search to ID it to species.
https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewChecklist.php?family=Tabanidae

Miri
Answered by the Home & Garden Information Center's Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturists Replied July 06, 2020, 5:56 PM EDT
Miri, thank you so much for all the information and links that you provided. I think you nailed it as being an ‘adolescent’ Green Horse Fly.  Mystery solved!!  
The Question Asker Replied July 06, 2020, 6:49 PM EDT
You are welcome!
Answered by the Home & Garden Information Center's Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturists Replied July 07, 2020, 10:53 AM EDT

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