Tabanus punctifer
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
Tabanus punctifer, commonly known as the western horse fly, is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. This species of horse fly is approximately 20.5 mm (0.8 in) long. They are typically found throughout the southern and western parts of the United States. They can be found between Utah and Mexico, and between California and Texas. The thorax is covered with long hairs that give it a creamy white color, while the abdomen is completely black. Much like other horse fly species, the Tabanus punctifer female requires a blood meal for the development of their eggs. Females will bite horses, livestock, and humans, making them vectors of disease for pathogens and parasites.
Canada, United States and Mexico. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Western Black Horse Fly sighting in Death Valley National Park on a given day, based on 72 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 108 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Western Black Horse Fly in Death Valley National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and November–February, the lowest months. That is one of Death Valley National Park's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain against 30 mm in March.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Black Horse Fly sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Western Black Horse Fly sightings, Death Valley National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Saguaro National Park (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the Western Black Horse Fly that you can see in Death Valley National Park (order Diptera, Flies) are Large Creosote Gall Midge (about 60%), Large-Tailed Aphideater (about 20%) and Creosote Cone Gall Midge (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Black Horse Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Death Valley National Park (72 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
