Gearing up for the war on flies

[Texarkana]

I’m ready to wage war this spring.

El Niño has brought us a warm winter with excessive rain. I already lived in a swamp, now I live in a lake.

Bugs are always bad here, but with all of this standing water, I’m dreading fly season. I’m not just talking stable flies: mosquitoes, horse flies, big bombers… we get them all.

So what are your favorite strategies?

My first shipment of fly predators will arrive soon. I also started the horses on an IGR; I know there is debate whether that negates the effect of the fly predators, but both the fly predator supplier and the IGR manufacturer say just don’t put the predators directly on the manure. We have enough wet organic matter everywhere that I think they can probably both serve their purposes.

I use hanging traps for stable flies. Fly boots and masks. Too humid for fly sheets here.

The horses live out and there is no electricity in their turnout sheds for fans; they are only in the barn to eat. The barn gets really hot during the summer so it’s not much of a place of relief.

Do those biting fly traps with the black balls work? Anyone make their own? $300+ for plastic seems kind of pricey.

What about mosquitoes? What else can you do to reduce them when you literally can’t drain the swamp?

[walkinthewalk]

I’m in Southern Middle Tennessee so fly sheets are too much heat for my horses, too.

This property drains well but it has rained so much, that I have mini ponds and mud pits where I never had them.

My big issue is ticks. The retiree I acquired two years ago, swells up from tick bites in ways I have never seen in my entire life. I started both horses on equine garlic because I know it works to keep the ticks off.

In my experience, garlic is about worthless for flies, but they have 24/7 access to the barn where I run 42” barrel fans on them. The horses choose to stay in front of the fans during the worst of the day and graze at night. I have the fans on industrial timers and do NOT use extension cords.

We have a Northern Tool store fairly close - I have found their barrel fans hold up much longer than TSC, etc.

Those fans means I don’t use fly spray on my horses, except when the farrier comes:)

This is what happens when my one horse gets bit by a tick and why he is on garlic which so far is working 100% to keep the ticks off — yes this was an $80 vet bill. His sheath didn’t bode much better but by then I went and got the meds to care for him myself.

[lenapesadie]

I’ve used the mosquito dunks and granules but I am not sure how much they do

[Texarkana]

@walkinthewalk

I’m in Southern Middle Tennessee so fly sheets are too much heat for my horses, too.

This property drains well but it has rained so much, that I have mini ponds and mud pits where I never had them.

My big issue is ticks. The retiree I acquired two years ago, swells up from tick bites in ways I have never seen in my entire life. I started both horses on equine garlic because I know it works to keep the ticks off.

In my experience, garlic is about worthless for flies, but they have 24/7 access to the barn where I run 42” barrel fans on them. The horses choose to stay in front of the fans during the worst of the day and graze at night. I have the fans on industrial timers and do NOT use extension cords.

We have a Northern Tool store fairly close - I have found their barrel fans hold up much longer than TSC, etc.

Those fans means I don’t use fly spray on my horses, except when the farrier comes:)

This is what happens when my one horse gets bit by a tick and why he is on garlic which so far is working 100% to keep the ticks off — yes this was an $80 vet bill. His sheath didn’t bode much better but by then I went and got the meds to care for him myself.

Yikes! My gelding used to get swelling like that when we lived in middle TN, too.

Ticks are the least of my concerns at the moment because I don’t think they can swim.

(Famous last words)

I don’t think fans will work because their sheds are in the field with no electricity.

I had been debating garlic so it helps to hear your experience!

[Texarkana]

@lenapesadie

I’ve used the mosquito dunks and granules but I am not sure how much they do

A few years ago at our rental farm I went crazy with mosquito dunks and can’t say if they helped, either.

I also had those mosquito attractant traps, that are basically just salty water where the larvae can’t develop. But when there is water everywhere, I can’t see them making a dent.

[Simkie]

I use mosquito dunks for fly control, and think they do make a difference, but if you’re just one person mitigating, surrounded by equally boggy properties that aren’t, it’s going to be so hard to make much difference with control measures

I’d consider using stinky fly traps along the property edges, to hopefully draw your flies away, and capture flies that are coming in from off the property.

[stb]

@Texarkana, yes the biting fly traps with the black balls work. They work really well for the bigger biting flies - horse flies, deer flies, green heads. The first year we used it we got hundreds of flies in the trap. Last year there were fewer flies caught but also fewer around the farm in general. We still caught tons of biting flies. I don’t know if it was just a down year or if the previous year’s fly massacre knocked the general population down.

For the regular flies, mosquitos, and gnats I use ShooFly boots and fly masks throughout the summer. For the spring, early summer, and fall I will use fly sheets. In the hottest part of the summer the fly sheets are just too hot. I’m using Rambo FlyBuster sheets. If anyone knows of any sheet that is more suitable for hot and humid weather I am all ears.

I also use fly predators, Simplifly, and hanging fly traps. I do wonder if the Simplifly and the fly predators are canceling each other out. I find the fly predators essential, but I’m a bit on the fence about the addition of the Simplifly.

I have yet to find a fly spray that lasts more than an hour or two. I honestly think they are just a waste of money - and they have gotten very expensive.

[Jarpur]

I use the hanging fly traps (the ones with water added to make them smell), such as the ones from Rescue, and have found that hanging a Starbar yellow sticky EZ Trap fly trap next to the hanging fly trap really brings in the flies. It’s been an amazing 1-2 punch here:

https://www.starbarproducts.com/all-products/traps/ez-trap-fly-trap

Soaking BTi anti-mosquito dunks or bits in water in a watering can to make a liquid that is then sprinkled around seems to make a difference, too (learned that trick on CoTH).

Otherwise, I feed SimpliFly; used fly predators for years, but think SimpliFly works better here (we don’t have horse flies or deer flies, though). Too hot at our location for fly sheets.

[Texarkana]

@Simkie

I use mosquito dunks for fly control, and think they do make a difference, but if you’re just one person mitigating, surrounded by equally boggy properties that aren’t, it’s going to be so hard to make much difference with control measures

I’d consider using stinky fly traps along the property edges, to hopefully draw your flies away, and capture flies that are coming in from off the property.

That’s my thought about mosquito dunks: there is water everywhere so I’m not sure I could even make a dent with them.

Good idea to put the traps on the perimeter, too.

[Texarkana]

@stb

Texarkana, yes the biting fly traps with the black balls work. They work really well for the bigger biting flies - horse flies, deer flies, green heads. The first year we used it we got hundreds of flies in the trap. Last year there were fewer flies caught but also fewer around the farm in general. We still caught tons of biting flies. I don’t know if it was just a down year or if the previous year’s fly massacre knocked the general population down.

Awesome to hear! Did you make one or buy one of the pre-made ones?

[Texarkana]

@Jarpur

I use the hanging fly traps (the ones with water added to make them smell), such as the ones from Rescue, and have found that hanging a Starbar yellow sticky EZ Trap fly trap next to the hanging fly trap really brings in the flies. It’s been an amazing 1-2 punch here:

https://www.starbarproducts.com/all-products/traps/ez-trap-fly-trap

Soaking BTi anti-mosquito dunks or bits in water in a watering can to make a liquid that is then sprinkled around seems to make a difference, too (learned that trick on CoTH).

Otherwise, I feed SimpliFly; used fly predators for years, but think SimpliFly works better here (we don’t have horse flies or deer flies, though). Too hot at our location for fly sheets.

I use both of those styles of traps, too.

I tried the BT dunk solution in a spray bottle a few years ago; not sure I saw much difference.

[Jarpur]

We use a garden watering can, so are putting out more than a spray bottle would. Don’t know if that matters but, we’ve found we need to change the fly traps less frequently when doing it.

[LilDunFilly]

I do not envy your situation. You seem like you’re doing most of the same things I’d do already. It’s important to have a multi-pronged approach (prevent flies from hatching, deal with larva, deal with adults, discourage).

My favorite strategies
-Fly predators, reapplied repeatedly over the season
-Feed thru fly control (if all the horses on the property are on it, otherwise a waste of money)
-Oil-based fly spray so it doesn’t dissappear with sweat. What brand depends on the year; I’ve seen bugs react differently to the same brand from year to year. I’ve never found anything marketted as natural/non-toxic to work partically well.
-Cattle insecticide tags. They can be clipped to halters, clipped to a fly mask, or braided into manes/tails.
-Keeping on top of manure cleanup. Once upon a time, I lessoned at two different barns over the summer. One had very few flies (lots more non-biting gnats than flies) and the other had a fly problem so bad that the bugs would cover the side of a tree or car. I stopped going to the latter barn because I couldn’t stand the bugs! The biggest reason for the difference was manure managment. The nicer barn cleaned stalls daily, hauled manure/used shavings to an area on-property away from the horses, and composted it (very quickly because they had a big industrial machine). The second place poorly cleaned stalls daily, but didn’t require boarders to even have shavings, and kept all the manure in a big pile next to the arena. They’d have it hauled away every few months but it was gross and a breeding ground for all the bugs.
-Fly gear. I get masks with ears because I hate bugs-in-ears, but YMMV. Shoo-fly boots are the only ones I’ve had hold up for more than a minute and those stay on unless it is time for a bath or ride.
-Fans in stalls and barn aisles.
-Hanging fly traps that are hung away from horses + a fly catcher trap. The hanging traps draw the flies away from the ponies and the catcher traps get the stragglers that don’t stick. I liked the big drum fly catchers (DIY link) as it seemed simple enough to build and holds a lot. Here is a link to instructions on how to make a black ball one.
-Grooming. If you have a horse that likes sleeping in their own waste, it’s important to clean that to prevent them from attraching flies (I knew a girl whose horse used his manure as a pillow, which meant he’d be covered in more flies than everyone else until cleaned).

For your specific issues, I can think of a few suggestions
-Curtains for the sheds. They’re an expense, but a friend used some variation of this and found them useful. Most of the bugs don’t make it through the curtains (can’t fly in and are brushed off when the horse goes to walk through them) so the shed can be a fly-free zone.

-Mosquito dunks in water troughs. If you’re in a swamp, it won’t get rid of them but it means they’re not spawning right where you’re horses are drinking. Unfortunately, mosquitos are able to breed in very little water (I think it might be as little as a bottle-cap full) and anything stagnant.
-Consistantly dump standing water around the property. We have a lot of empty flowerpots around the house, so those need to be checked and dumped after the rain. I missed one last year and couldn’t figure out why we had so many getting into the house!
-Sprays using citronella
-Planting mosquito-repellant plants?
-There are mosquito water traps you can make. One is as simple as a bucket full of water with a bit of soap; the soap ruins the water tension and causes the females to drown when they try to land to lay their eggs. Not sure how useful this type of trap is large-scale.

[stb]

We bought it. It is the Horse Pal Fly Trap.

[Texarkana]

@LilDunFilly

Consistantly dump standing water around the property. We have a lot of empty flowerpots around the house, so those need to be checked and dumped after the rain. I missed one last year and couldn’t figure out why we had so many getting into the house!

Any ideas how to dump this?

Sorry I couldn’t resist being a smart ass. In all seriousness, thank you for all the great suggestions! Especially the DIY biting trap directions. I really want to install one but hate the idea of spending $300 on plastic that the wind will destroy.

[clanter]

because of the mosquitos we are having to vaccinate every six months for West Nile. We were relying upon vaccinating in the Spring annually until we had a horse contract West Nile in mid autumn.

Flies unless every one with animals around you also attempt to control them pretty much whatever you do is to no avail. Since we are having warm period this spring we have been running the overhead spray system to attempt so advanced control.

[SMF11]

I bought 2 and tried them in several places. I am sorry to say they didn’t trap a single horse or deer fly.

[lenapesadie]

I dunno how far mosquitoes travel.

My farm is not swampy but it’s not far to the bottom land by the river. Close enough that I see bald eagles. I also see mosquitoes, but they aren’t too bad (relative for the Deep South). The county does spray on my road regularly so that may help keep the bugs down some.

Since your horses aren’t in the barn much over the summer, I dunno how applicable this is but I see good results against regular flies using Quick Strike granules in my barn.

[Horsecrazy3]

I use neem oil to control fly, midge and mosquitos. Since using it on my sweet itch prone gelding with great success, I noticed my other bug problem was greatly diminished as well. Neem oil interferes with the bug’s life cycle and acts as a repellent. It must be diluted if bought full strength. I buy Equiderma fly spray containing neem and then further dilute it with an oil based fly spray.

[Texarkana]

@Horsecrazy3

I buy Equiderma fly spray containing neem and then further dilute it with an oil based fly spray.

This is actually my favorite fly spray! I usually rotate between it and something cheaper.