Horsefly population down in North East?

[danacat]

I have 3 Horse Pal horsefly catchers that I put out last June (caught tons) and have them out again this year. I just noticed that I’m catching very few now and my horses aren’t being bothered by any. Usually my horses are buried deep in their run-in sheds in the morning and can’t wait to get into their stalls when it’s time to come in for the day…

…but the last several mornings everyone is happily standing outside with not a horsefly in sight. I’m wondering if this is a weird anomaly in the North East (NY) or in general, or if the drastic reduction in population means that the Horse Pals last summer decimated the breeding population enough to make a serious dent this summer?

Horse Pal does suggest that a decline in population (year upon year) is a realistic perk.
Hmmmmm…

[Simkie]

I have more this year, earlier, and I’m seeing them around the barn more than previously. I think the wet weather is the cause.

It sounds like your traps did a number on them last year!

[MorganMaresVT]

I guess they’ve skipped out on NY and are all congregating here in Vermont for the summer!

Seriously, I think they are the worst they’ve ever been for us this year. I had to leave fly sheets off last night because we had waves of thunderstorms coming through and I don’t like them to be wet and steaming in their sheets (horses are out 24/7). Poor mare looked like this when I fed this morning

[quietann]

I’m in Massachusetts. The weather has been so weird that it may be that the darn things just haven’t hatched out yet. We’re swimming in mosquitoes right now, and some sort of small black fly that is not a gnat and not a regular fly, and doesn’t appear to bite, but makes the horses stomp anyway.

[Snowdenfarm]

I found the Horse Pal fly trap nearly eliminated biting flies after a year or two. I used them for almost 20 years on our farm in PA. We moved to California last fall and some equipment from the farm that was in storage was shipped out here, including a Horse Pal fly trap. I board now and I literally cannot give it away. This one was only used one year and is like new. I cannot bear to throw it away. If anyone in SoCal wants one, it is yours for the taking.

[treebeard]

I’ve noticed fewer horse flies and fewer deer flies, but we’re in a heat wave now and I expect to see more of both.

[risuenaVT]

I’ve seen more horseflies than usual this year in the midatlantic. And the flies in general are just really bad right now

[GraceLikeRain]

Good gosh can you please take some of mine? This is the worse deer fly season I remember in 20+ years. Swarms upon swarms from sun up to sun down

[Texarkana]

@risuenaVT

I’ve seen more horseflies than usual this year in the midatlantic. And the flies in general are just really bad right now

Same!

Yesterday one of my horses was being attacked in the field by one of those big bombers. They don’t usually show up until August around here!

[treebeard]

@GraceLikeRain

Good gosh can you please take some of mine? This is the worse deer fly season I remember in 20+ years. Swarms upon swarms from sun up to sun down

That’s awful. I live in the woods and usually they are rampant.

[Christa_P]

I’m in southwestern NY and they are already bad. We had a cool wet spring, but as soon as it warmed up we got swarmed.

[danacat]

I’ve seen those too. WT Heck are they.

[quietann]

I wish I knew! They are really annoying.

Then in the fall we get what I call “slow flies.” They land on the horses and just sit there and tickle them.

[Incantation]

I am in the northeast. We have some horse flys so far, but way down from last year. I bought 1 horse pal last year, and it helped a lot. I would like to buy a few more and hang blue balls on them for the deer flies!

[danacat]

…and the greenheads which are also attracted to blue.

[quietann]

Well, anything I said about fewer horseflies this year, just ignore it. I visited Feronia yesterday to hose her off and take her to graze. I’m now regretting the grazing as she was so miserable kicking at the TWO horseflies that were torturing her, along with deerflies and mosquitoes and various other flies. She’s on a dry lot with a shed and a fan otherwise, which really helps.

In better news, she has anhydrosis, but apparently on a 95+ day with high humidity, she sweats just fine. I was very surprised, although I’d noticed that she was sweating just a little behind her elbows and on her face on our high 80s/low 90s days. I’m hoping it’s a trend.

[rogueknits]

The horse flies arrived en masse with the hot weather last week in NYC metro area. One bedeviled us throughout my lesson on Thursday and ended up biting me through my pants. This is the earliest I remember seeing them in recent years. They usually don’t show up until well into July, but I think the wet weather messed up the typical cycle.
We have spotted lanternflies to look forward to as well, which don’t bite but get literally everywhere and are generally creepy.

[MorganMaresVT]

@rogueknits

One bedeviled us throughout my lesson on Thursday and ended up biting me through my pants.

I have horsefly bites up and down my legs, through my pants! I’ve been riding with a mesh “Horse Hoodie,” and the other day I felt so bad, there were half-dozen deer flies riding along on top of the mesh on my mare’s neck, and I actually saw the moment when one drew blood before she shook it off We are both OVER IT!

[quietann]

Well, we have them now. Feronia got bit by one yesterday, and exploded - did a Trigger rear that turned into a giant twisting buck and a gallop into the shed. Once in, she dropped her head and closed her eyes. I think she forgot that she’s too old for this kind of shenanigans.