Tuesday 7 December 2010

Giant Horsefly

...Another insect, this time the huge Tabanus sudeticus, or Dark Giant Horsefly. The females can measure up to 30mm long, and are the heaviest flies in Europe. They use their piercing mouthparts to cut a wound in the flesh of cattle, horses or humans, and lap up the blood, which they need to produce viable eggs. The males are slightly smaller and only feed on nectar.
again, drawing done on A4 cartridge paper, in fine line pen, markers, and acrylic paint. I have decided to create a whole series of these insects, in the same scale and style to hopefully produce a mini guide to some UK species of insect. It will take a long time!

3 comments:

  1. I really liked this piece when I saw it yesterday, especially the big shiny eye.. Didn't know this was the bastard who bites people around tho.! ;-)

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  2. This is beautiful, and you did such a nice job with the compound eye and all those hairs.

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  3. Nice image! I bought a postcard 'print' of your Laphria flava off you at the AES Trade fair recently. Do you have a similar postcard of this one or any other insects?

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