WTAF are these insects and are they dangerous

[4Q]

We have a place in the french alps and for the last couple of nights at dusk we’ve had swarms of hundreds/thousands of what look like fat wasps appearing from nowhere for about an hour or so. They don’t seem to be interested in us (thank god) nor do they appear to have a sting, but even so they’re quite unnerving. They don’t look like June bugs as they are not really beetle like.
1 Euro coin which is the same size a £1 for scale

[Easternlight]

I suspect a type of Horse fly.No sting but will bite which will hurt!
From the web.



https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2016/06/30/male-dark-...

[4Q]

I thought they were benign but now it appears not!

[Poppiecock]

If they are a kind of Horsefly, get some repellent on and try to stay well clear.

I had a couple of bad bites last summer, the first caused a massive blister on my calf, the 2nd hospitalised me for 24 hours on an IV antibiotic to control cellulitis. My hand and arm, up to the elbow, swelled up like a balloon and got very hot. My boss now calls me Shrek and I thought I was going to explode.

[4Q]

A quick google suggests horseflies are active during daylight but these come out at dusk?

[4Q]

They’re just starting to appear now, we’re an hour in front so it’s 9.13pm

[Boosted LS1]

Could they be a bee fly? A fly that mimics a bee.

ETA, bee flies seem hairy whereas a google of horse flies reveals a pic of something like the op's visitor.

Edited by Boosted LS1 on Friday 12th July 20:43

[4Q]

They’ve all gone again for tonight so only out for about an hour. No bites so far but still not sure about them. Last year we had them for just two nights but this year they’ve been around for a few days

[Evanivitch]

Google Lens is great for these things (download the App).

It's a Hybomitra, aka Horsefly.

[P700DEE]

Article in The Times about things that bite and how much they hurt! I looked at the picture and immediately thought Horsefly but wrong colour as these are all grey. The Times says Deerfly are exactly the same but with the pictured yellow lines. Will bite which is not that painful but they often get infected, itch and give great pain.

[mike74]

I doubt it's horseflies, they would be very interested in you and you'd know about it.

I've had horsefly bites swell up to the size of half a tennis ball

[951TSE]

It's probably a type of hover fly.

http://planetepassion.eu/INSECTS%20FRANCE/HOVERFLI...

Can't see that specific one on the page although some are close.

[ChocolateFrog]

P700DEE said:

Article in The Times about things that bite and how much they hurt! I looked at the picture and immediately thought Horsefly but wrong colour as these are all grey. The Times says Deerfly are exactly the same but with the pictured yellow lines. Will bite which is not that painful but they often get infected, itch and give great pain.

I'm pretty sure Horsefly is just a catch all name for a whole genus of biting flys. See also deer fly etc.

[NoVetec]

Deer fly? (Comes under horse fly)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysops_caecutiens

ETA: Ah just seen the deer fly mentioned above!

Are you anywhere near woodland/forest OP?

Edited by NoVetec on Friday 19th July 13:01

Futher ETA: or perhaps this one: https://www.google.com/search?q=Tabanus+eggeri&amp...

Edited by NoVetec on Friday 19th July 13:06

[4Q]

I hope they aren’t horsefly or deerfly as they come in HUGE swarms around a couple of the trees in the garden each evening. We are in the valley bottom in middle of open fields (other than the odd tree) although the valley sides are forested.