Studies on flower-visiting and nectar-sucking of tabanid flies 1. The rate of flies with pollen in each species examined on specimens

In a study of flower visiting by Tabanidae in Japan, the presence of pollen was examined by microscopy in females of 70 species and males of 14 species which had been collected by sweep-netting or by the use of traps baited with carbon dioxide. About 93% of all species and 20-30% of flies in most species had pollen on their bodies. More than 50% of the females of Stonemyia yezoensis, Silvius shirakii, S. oshimaensis, Chrysops japonicus, C. nigripes, Hybomitra harai, Atylotus sawadai, A. angusticornis, Tabanus chrysurinus, T. fulvilineus, T. ryukyuensis, Isshikia japonica and I. yajimai and males of T. taiwanus examined carried pollen. No conspicuous differences were observed in the rate of flies with pollen between males and females and between autogenous and unautogenous species.