How to get rid of horse flies? : Horseflies drive us all crazy! Not just us, but the animals too. In fact, one of the most painful bites that cattle and horses suffer from is actually by horse flies. These nasty pests, especially the female ones, are well equipped to cut into the thick skin of cattle or horses and suck their blood in order to obtain more protein to produce eggs.
Eliminating horseflies can be pretty burdensome for most of us as it requires consistent efforts. But don’t be beaten! Because we are providing you with some measures and remedies that will help you get rid of horse flies sooner than you expected!
Here are some facts about horse flies
- The female horse flies are the insistent blood feeders, though males do not consume blood but feed on pollen and plant nectar.
- They are mainly found in low-lying grasslands near creeks, streams or tanks. They love to be in moist and warm climate. The logic behind locating the target is that they are attracted towards dark moving objects and the carbon dioxide they release.
Get Rid of Horse Flies Using Physical Traps – Horse Fly Traps
This is one of the easiest ways of getting rid of such pests. You can make use of different types of physical traps:
a) Throw-away traps: They are quite effective in capturing a number of flies. In order to make it work, you just have to add some bait along with water in the trap. The flies will get attracted to that bait and will enter the trap, from where they cannot simply escape. The main advantage of such traps is that they can be reused several times.
b) Homemade dark ball trap: Take a black painted ball to make this trap and attach it to a string. Tie this assembly to as tool type object. On the lower surface of the stool, place the flypaper. Now place this assembly in the zone where these flies are expected more. When you swing the ball the creature will get attracted to it and will come close to the ball and get trapped on the flypaper.
c) Using bottle and rotten meat trap: To prepare this trap, cut a plastic bottle into two parts. Drill the cap of the bottle. Place rotten meat along with water or cow urine in the lower portion. Place the bottle upside down. You may use a tape to make sure that the edges are properly sealed. The odor of foul meat will attract these flies. Once they enter the trap, they will get stuck and cannot escape.
Also read : How to Get Rid of House Flies?
Chemicals to Chuck Out Horseflies
One can make use of different types of chemicals to get rid of these creatures. To name few of the useful chemicals, we have Pyrethroids, Organophosphates and Organochlorines. One of the easiest ways to use these chemicals is by applying them to the horse or cattle. Also, you should handle these insecticides by wearing proper hand gloves as these are marked to be unsafe for humans to come in contact with. Keep them away from your eyes, nose and mouth. You can make use of a small mist sprayer, cloth or sponge to spray the chemicals on the animal body. Dip any of these in the chemical and apply it to the animals. If you intend to cover a larger area then take out the animals from the shed and spray the chemicals in the shed itself.
Also read : How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies?
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Horse Flies – Horse Fly Remedies
1. Liquid dish wash: You can also make use of dish wash. Mix the dish wash with sufficient quantity of water and spray on the horse flies. The flies will die due to suffocation. The advantage of using this home remedy is that it has no side effects on the animals or the surroundings and is safer than using chemicals.
2. Dish wash, ammonia, and mouthwash: Take lemon scented dish wash, lemon scented ammonia and mint mouthwash. Mix all the three while adding sufficient quantity of water to it. Spray this solution to keep horse flies at bay. This mixture too is safer as compared to the harmful chemicals.
3. Bath oil, eucalyptus oil, and white vinegar: Mix bath oil, eucalyptus oil, and white vinegar while adding water to it. Mix the all the ingredients well and apply it to the horse or cattle.
4. Lavender oil, water, and alcohol: Mix together lavender oil, alcohol and water and apply the mixture directly to the animals in order to keep the pests away.
5. Mineral oil, eucalyptus oil, lemon juice and citronella oil: Mix all these ingredients well. You may add a little dish soap to it for better results. Like other methods, apply this as well to the body of the animals.
#Precautionary measure: Prior to using any type of suggested chemicals, insecticides or home remedies here, it’s vital that you consult a professional vet to ensure that it is safe for your cattle and animals.
Also read : How to Get Rid of Drain Flies?
Following are some preventative measures to help out in reducing the risk from horseflies
- Make sure to keep your animals clean always. Remember that dirty animals are one of the best places for these pests to thrive.
- Along with the animals, make sure that the shed and the surrounding areas are always clean.
- Ensure that the plants and trees in the surrounding areas are trimmed on a regular basis. Don’t allow weeds etc. to grow in these areas.
- Always make sure that there is no stagnant water in the surrounding areas.
- It is always the best to keep the shed of the animals closed.
- You can also make use of face masks, and nets for animals in order to protect them from the attack of the horse flies.
- Install a roof top fan over the area where animal usually resides under the shed.
The above-mentioned remedies can help you to prevent and get rid of the menace of the horse flies to a great extent. In extreme cases, you can always resort to chemicals and insecticides with sufficient safety precautions.
Also read : How to Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks?
Do you have a better solution on how to get rid of Horse flies around the house? Please let us know.
