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Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis


Haemotopota clegs are a common species at the site where this was taken, and can be a painful nuisance. This appears to be the first I've identified to species level, though I may have another somewhere waiting for me to examine it. I mostly encounter them during the daytime but this one came to light at night.

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male Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis showing antennae (3 views), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 16th July 2024


My attempt to catch this one failed so all I have to go on is these two photos. It was at the same place as the one above and I think you can see enough detail on the antennae to confirm it's another pluvialis.

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female Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 5th July 2024


Another one that didn't quite get to bite me.

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female Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 27th June 2025


On this occasion they were very determined to drink my blood and succeeded in doing so. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with these as they're such a nuisance but at the same time rather beautiful. It's no coincidence that all the ones I find during the day are females - for in reality it is the flies finding me (in the hope of a blood meal) rather than me finding them, and it is only the females that bite (and even then only after mating).

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female Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis showing antennae (from above, from side, and close-up fo third segment from side) and abdomen from above, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 18th July 2025


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second female Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis showing apex of first to third segments of antenna from side, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 18th July 2025


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third female Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis showing antenna from side, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 18th July 2025