Fly sprays that WORK with minimal harm to watershed?

[hemitheconyxcaudicinctus]

I’ve never had to buy fly spray before so I’m looking at the different kinds you can buy and scratching my head. I live in a coastal area with a lot of rivers and a water table that goes directly into the ocean so I’d prefer stuff that doesn’t have any strong negative effects on the environment like some of the pesticides people commonly use for gardens in other areas do. Also, is homemade effective?

I just want something that keeps flies from bothering her and keeps ticks far, far away while causing minimal harm. Thoughts appreciated!

[fivestrideline]

If y’all come up with anything, I’m all ears. The only things that have ever worked for me are the big guns - and two options from REI (worked in Alaska - no way I’d be paying $$$$$ to use them on horses, and no luck with similar actives in horse fly spray).

This year is predicted to be really bad with bugs, at least in my area. We didn’t really get a winter.

[clanter]

might try planting some flowers or mint, I planted some mint by the barn…the stuff is nearly indestructible, also noticeably reduced flies

What flowers keep flies away?

Some of the most effective plants that repel flies away include:

• Basil.
• Mint.
• Marigold.
• Lavender.
• Bay Tree.
• Rosemary.
• Venus Fly Trap.
• Tansy.

[Foxglove]

Can’t help much --here we use fly sheets, leg protection, and fly masks when horses are turned out --costly and labor intensive.

When riding, I make up a fresh batch of Repel-X in small quantities and try to use it up each ride (it says on the bottle to do that --before I read it, I was one who made a qt at a time . . .less effective if made in advance).

NOTE: I occasionally ride with other people who swear by a homemade formula (usually involving vinegar and skin-so-soft) or the essential oils folks --and a occasionally someone who tried to ride in their fly gear (fly mask, leg coverings, booty fly blanket). The first two (home-made and essential oils) ALWAYS end up borrowing my Repel-X because their goo isn’t stopping the flies. The third group (rides with fly equipment) ALWAYS gets hung up riding through brush or woods and one woman crashed and burned at TWO jumps because her horse (I’m guessing) couldn’t see well enough with his fly mask on.

Each to their own —flies and horses have been around longer than people have existed --it’s a battle.

[S1969]

@clanter

What flowers keep flies away?

Some of the most effective plants that repel flies away include:

• Basil.
• Mint.
• Marigold.
• Lavender.
• Bay Tree.
• Rosemary.
• Venus Fly Trap.
• Tansy.

Ehh. That’s sort of misleading.

Nothing keeps biting flies away from a sweaty horse. That’s how they eat.

Can mint maybe keep some flies away from the barn? Maybe. I don’t really believe it does, but it might have a minimal effect.

But generally speaking - is there an effective chemical that kills the “bad” flies but doesn’t harm “good” insects, the environment, etc.? No.

[walkinthewalk]

OP, any concoction you might decide to try —- PATCH TEST FIRST.

A Skin-so-soft recipe cost me a vet bill years ago.

Fortunately my horses are home. When the fly spray I do occasionally use (Zonk It! stops working, they go in the barn and let the big barrel fans blow on them.

When I was still trail riding, I carried Deep Woods Off with me and sprayed both of us. It at least kept the ticks off my horse’s legs.

[emeraldcity]

Ecovet is the only thing that remotely works for me. I know some people are not fans, and DEFINITELY apply it outside and stand upwind. It’s not a miracle but it’s far more effective than anything else I’ve tried. I also use freedom 45 for ticks.

My horse is turned out in full gear in the worst months. I ride in the ring in just an ear bonnet, but for trail rides I have a riding fly sheet, a quietride fly mask, he wears galloping boots to help with the leg flies, and I put SWAT on his belly. Some people in my barn trail ride in their shoofly fly boots, but I’ve never tried it.

[McGurk]

Foxglove,

I could have written your post. I have had the exact same experience. I rotate Repel-X, Bronco and Tri-Tech. Repel-X is the most effective.

One of my most crunchy granola, environmentally conscious friends swore by some citronella based product but when we trail rode together, she’s always ended up reluctantly borrowing my Repel-X.

That’s interesting about making up a fresh batch each time; I haven’t been doing that either.

I also use the Equi-Spot tick preventative. The label says it works for mosquitos and stable flies, I haven’t noticed that it works for that, but it sure does work for ticks.

[Foxglove]

@McGurk --when the kiddos used to show 4-H (lots of horses sweating in the sun in a ring together) we would increase the ratio of Repel-X to water --only did it for those classes —one of the little fellows who manned the entrance gate said, “I can smell Max coming!” --I hope the flies did too and bothered some other horse other than Max!

[McGurk]

I start the season mixing the Repel-X 7 - 1. August to September, when the B-52 size horse flies are out, I use 4 - 1.

[Simkie]

What’s your concern with the watershed? What you put on your horse is unlikely to wind up in the watershed, unless something like a spill happens in an inopportune place. Applying to a horse is a bit of a different question than spraying on a garden.

You can minimize risk by applying in a protected area. Wiping on rather than spraying limits what the wind takes away, and rubbing into the coat can up effectiveness and longevity. Don’t apply to your horse before rain, if they’ll be out in it, to reduce what comes off the horse. Oil based might “stick” to the horse better, but really what comes off them is so minimal.

You can limit what you need with sheets, masks, and boots. Effective manure management will also help. Barn swallows, purple martins and bats are excellent to reduce your fly numbers, so giving them space is useful. Giving your horses dark spaces with fans to hide during the worst parts of the day can also reduce your need for spray. Fly predators might also make a dent, depending on what you have nearby. Traps (hung away from the horses/barn) will also reduce the population.

[SLW]

@emeraldcity

Ecovet is the only thing that remotely works for me. I know some people are not fans, and DEFINITELY apply it outside and stand upwind. It’s not a miracle but it’s far more effective than anything else I’ve tried. I also use freedom 45 for ticks.

My horse is turned out in full gear in the worst months. I ride in the ring in just an ear bonnet, but for trail rides I have a riding fly sheet, a quietride fly mask, he wears galloping boots to help with the leg flies, and I put SWAT on his belly. Some people in my barn trail ride in their shoofly fly boots, but I’ve never tried it.

I have had great success with EcoVet too.

[2DogsFarm]

Nothing that meets your guidelines really works.
There was a Brit poster here - Thomas1 - who exchanged his All Natural Secret Formula for a donation to leukemia research (he was a survivor).
As best I recall it contained oil of citronella, neem oil & a 3rd essential oil I can’t recall.
Results were Meh.
I currently use Gordon’s concentrate, mixed at 1.5X suggested. It’s 10% permethrin, which occurs naturally in marigolds(?).
But like anything else, it’s not a surefire, 100% effective deterrent.
I’ve stopped using flymasks as the horses don’t seem as bothered by flies sipping near their eyes as I am & the B52 Bombers don’t go for the head.

[JB]

@emeraldcity

Ecovet is the only thing that remotely works for me. I know some people are not fans, and DEFINITELY apply it outside and stand upwind.

I have several friends who dilute this with another fly spray, or vinegar, and the awfulness of it diminishes enough they aren’t clutching their chest, but still works just as well

@hemitheconyxcaudicinctus

I’d prefer stuff that doesn’t have any strong negative effects on the environment like some of the pesticides people commonly use for gardens in other areas do.

There’s a giant difference between things that get liberally sprayed on the “ground”, and worked into the soil by rain, and potentially then into the watershed, and something you spray on a horse. I wouldn’t at all be concerned about the tiny amount of chemicals in fly sprays that randomly might drip to the ground after a rain. And it’s amazing how much the soil breaks down some of the chemicals as they percolate down through the many feet to the watershed, if they even make it that far.

@hemitheconyxcaudicinctus

Also, is homemade effective?

Maybe short-term, like for a ride. If you add some mineral oil to the mix and shake before using, you can extend its effectiveness for a bit longer. Water-based evaporates fast. Essential oils evaporate pretty fast, and you need some sort of oil to get them mixed into water to any significant degree

Flick’s is a natural spray I have found most effective for a ride

Otherwise, It’s things like UltraShield black, Repel-X (same dilution ratios as McGurk does for the same reasons), Pyranha (or Dumor Platinum fly spray (silver bottle, not white) from TSC which is the same thing but cheaper), are the things that seem to work the best, for the longest. Tri-Tec is another.

[beowulf]

Rather than watershed, I imagine OP would be horrified to know that the sprays directly impact insectivores like swallows, bats, spiders, other bugs, etc.

I’ve tried really hard to eliminate sprays for that reason. I do still use Ecovet in the summer. My guys are also on a mix of Freedom 45 and Equispot.

Agree fly predators and encouraging other natural predators to do flyovers helps. Our swallows and bats live in/around the barn and they do make a dent, however small.

A few years ago there was a Microtek (IRC?) spray that had natural oils, mostly marigold, that worked okay. I haven’t purchased it recently but I remember it being used almost exclusively in a barn I worked in that was right next to a major reservoir.

[BayMoose]

I share your concerns OP. For pasture use I use cotton sheets, fly masks and I’ve thought about fly boots but have never actually tried them. For riding…it depends. In an arena, I just use the green ultra shield and it does ok. Not perfect, but OK. But for the woods I find that the black ultra shield is the only thing that really works and keeps the ticks away.

When I had a horse in a much buggier area, I used to use deep woods off on all his exposed bits out in the pasture and reapplied daily and that worked pretty well. So I would say it depends on where you live.

[Simkie]

One more tool in the box to reduce population is BTi. We talked about it here, and many of us have found it quite effective.

UPDATE: Post 9: Mosquito Dunks & flies...help me remember

A year or two ago there was a thread about flies and someone mentioned using mosquito dunks, maybe in a sprayer? Can’t remember. Seems to me it was an accidental fly-repellant discovery. Anyone remember the details? Or does anyone have any anecdotes about using mosquito dunks as premise fly control? Black flies are the worst they’ve been here in several years. My normal fly control methods of the Country Vet misters in each stall and the aisleway and fly traps don’t seem to be putting as much …

[Xanthoria]

An effective (yes!) natural tick, mosquito and culicoides midge repellent I use on myself and horses is lemon eucalyptus based Repel (and other brands) available at the drugstore. Not lemon, not lemongrass, not citronella, not eucalyptus but “lemon eucalyptus”

Repel Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent, Mosquito Repellent, Pump Spray, 4-Ounce, Pack of 2 https://a.co/d/bOpoDg9

For regular flies, I can’t help

[equinelibrium]

I’ve had good luck with this fly spray, but I don’t live in a very buggy area. Ecovet also works very well.

Horse Spray Quart - Equiderma

[LCDR]

Are you EcoVet fly spray users remarking on the odor basing these comments on the original formulation? I don’t find the new scent (relatively new, introduced about 4 years ago) to be offensive at all.

And it isn’t intended to be applied liberally, like many of us apply pyrethrin sprays. But you users already know that. I do too, but some days I fall into the “more is better trap.”

Ecovet: How to Apply (Condensed Version)