Biological notes on three species of Tabanidae (Diptera) obtained during experiments on transmission of equine infectious anemia of horses

Tabanids were trapped in the field in New York State and stored in a refrigerated incubator prior to feeding; 4% of examples of Hybomitra lasiophthalma (Macq.), 20% of those of Tabanus sulcifrons Macq. and 56% of those of T. quinquevittatus Wied. fed successfully on ponies. Of females of T. quinquevittatus tested for feeding on a second pony 24 h after interruption of a feed on a first pony, 76% fed successfully, and 38% of those tested after oviposition fed successfully. Females of each species oviposited, and a few of T. quinquevittatus oviposited 3 times and fed 4 times. Females of T. quinquevittatus oviposited at a mean of 6.6 days after feeding and would re-feed within 1 day; the egg stage lasted on average 7.6 days. T. sulcifrons oviposited 9.3 days after feeding; the time required for oviposition and hatching was strongly temperature dependent.