Broad-headed Horsefly (Hybomitra lurida)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - true fly (Diptera) > Soldier fly or ally |
| Red List Status: | Vulnerable (Not Relevant) [VU(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Hybomitra lurida |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Fallén, 1817) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Drake, 2017 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | In decline in the UK generally, mainly recorded in Scotland with Cheshire being the only location of recent records in England. Sites where it has been found are protected |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Little information available on ecology/biology of H. lurida, it's latest reported sitings have been from similar habitat to Atylotus plebeius, although no specimens were found in a thorough survey of these areas in 2018/2019. (Some of the survey was reportedly conducted outside of peak flight times. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | The chance for dispersal are very limited, corridors between sites are reportedly non-existent. Habitat expansion, restoration of mire (see Delemere Forest Plan) would in theory protect the Cheshire population if still extant. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Life history factor/s |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | Appears to be in decline and the Cheshire population really needs exploring further to see the extent of the population. There are single records from 2022 and 2024 respectively. H. lurida as with many other Tabanids requires large mammals as part of the breeding cycle for females to gain blood meals from. Reported on lowland acid mire and adults have been seen sitting on sandy roads. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Tailored surveys of potential habitat in known localities to determine the population and species distribution, thus identifying areas where H. lurida is missing.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Targeted monitoring
Duration: 1 year
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Shemmy Moss (SJ594687) and local Basin Mire SJ55427149) within Delamere.
Comments: A tailored survey within the known flight period to encompass the areas where the previous two sightings have been made along with adjacent/linked areas with similar habitats.
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Enhancement of viable habitat for the species through scrub clearance is crucial; removal of birch and pine; as well as provision of ideal water levels.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Habitat management
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Shemmy Moss (SJ 5949 6892), Wybunbury Moss (SJ 6965 5021), and quaking bogs on Little Budworth Common, which are known as Central Moss (SJ 5850 6574), East Moss (SJ 5859 6570) and Whitehall Moss (SJ 5878 6580)
Comments: To prevent encroachment of birch and pine and any other scrub that may infringe on existing sites, further limiting the area that the species can survive in. This should also consider the effects on water levels where applicable. (If this is put in place for Atylotus plebius as above then there is a reasonable assumption to be made that this will be a positive action for H. lurida too)
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Sites of failing pine plantation returned to mire; Improving connectivity if possible between known sites (and beyond) to allow expansion of populations
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Habitat creation
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Shemmy Moss (SJ 5949 6892), Wybunbury Moss (SJ 6965 5021), and quaking bogs on Little Budworth Common, which are known as Central Moss (SJ 5850 6574), East Moss (SJ 5859 6570) and Whitehall Moss (SJ 5878 6580)
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.