Dark Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus)

At 25mm long, the Dark Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus) holds the title of Europe's largest fly. Its heavy, dark body is imposing enough, but it's the eyes that steal the show - large, iridescent compound lenses banded in shimmering greens and purples, among the most visually striking of any European insect.

Tabanus sudeticus is found across Europe, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, in habitats near livestock and large mammals - moorland, marshes, woodland edges, and farmland. Females are blood-feeders, using blade-like mouthparts to slash the skin of cattle, horses, and deer before lapping up the pooling blood. The bite is painful, and heavy infestations can cause significant distress to livestock. Males, by contrast, are harmless nectar-feeders, and both sexes can be found visiting flowers in warm weather. Larvae develop in damp soil and mud near waterways, where they are predators of other invertebrate larvae.

Horsefly eyes are objects of genuine optical fascination. The iridescent colour bands visible in life are produced by thin-film interference in the corneal layers - the same physics that creates colour in soap bubbles - and disappear after death as the structures dry and collapse. Recent research has shown that the pattern of these bands may help horseflies regulate the polarisation of incoming light, aiding navigation and the detection of water surfaces. It is a sophisticated piece of biological optics housed in an insect most people encounter only as a source of sharp pain on a summer afternoon.

Bugs Series

Bugs gathers illustrations adapted from and inspired by founder Simon Tyler's book Bugs, published by Pavilion Children’s Books in 2017. The series celebrates the graphic elegance of insect life: armour-like exoskeletons, iridescent wings, compound eyes, and the ingenious mechanics of movement and camouflage. It’s a visual field guide reimagined—clean, bold forms and carefully tuned palettes that bring structure to the surface.

Each piece begins with the research-led drawings from the book and then goes further: refined linework, rebalanced composition, and subtle textural detailing designed for generous print sizes. The aim is clarity and presence — images that feel scientifically grounded yet striking on the wall. Printed with the same archival care as our other series, Bugs turns natural history into crisp, enduring graphic art.

Printing & Materials

Our Bugs series is produced in collaboration with specialist fine-art printing partners using museum-grade 250 gsm archival giclée paper.

Each print is made to order with exceptional precision and colour accuracy, using pigment-based inks for long-term stability and rich tonal depth.

Prints are carefully rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in rigid cardboard tubes to ensure they arrive in perfect condition, ready for framing.

All materials and processes are chosen for their longevity, texture, and fidelity to the original artwork, reflecting our commitment to quality and craft.