How to Get Rid of Horse Flies: Quick and Effective Solutions

Horse flies can be a major nuisance for both humans and animals, especially during the warmer months. These pests not only cause painful bites but can also transmit diseases. In order to protect your property and livestock, it’s essential to implement effective strategies for controlling horse flies.

One method to help reduce the presence of horse flies is to turn horses out at night, as these insects are primarily daytime biters. Providing shelters or canopy trees far from wooded edges of pastures or marshy areas can also offer protection. Additionally, using physical barriers such as fly sheets, masks, and boots can keep the flies from accessing the horse’s face, legs, or body.

Understanding Horse Flies

Species and Identification

Horse flies are part of the Tabanidae family and are known for their large eyes and grey color. There are various species of horse flies, but they all share similar characteristics:

• Large eyes, often with horizontal stripes
• Gray or blackish color
• Moderately large size

For example, common Horse flies are around 14 to 19 mm long, with clear wings and a grayish-brown thorax. On the other hand, Deer flies are smaller, measuring 10 to 13 mm long, and have tinted smokey gray-brown wings, with a greenish-yellow thorax and dark stripes ¹.

Life Cycle

Horse flies follow a typical life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Some notable points in the life cycle include:

• Female horse flies lay eggs in clusters on leaves or wet soil near water sources
• Eggs are dark and sometimes covered with a layer of protective, water-repellent material

The larval stage is when horse flies are most aggressive and actively searching for food. The larvae feed on small insects, and some species even feed on slugs, snails, or earthworms. Pupae typically burrow into soil or debris, entering a non-feeding stage before emerging as adults.

Comparison of Horse Flies and Deer Flies:

In conclusion, understanding horse flies and their characteristics provide a foundation for effective fly control measures.

Horse Fly Bites

Painful Bite Mechanism

Horse flies are known for their painful bites due to their scissor-like jaws. When they bite, they use their mouthparts to:

• Slice into the skin
• Create a pool of blood
• Feed on the blood

These bites can be very uncomfortable and may cause:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Redness

Reactions and Swelling

Reactions to horse fly bites can vary, but common responses include:

• Localized swelling
• Intense itching
• Warmth around the bite area

In some cases, more severe reactions can occur such as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Nausea

If you experience any severe symptoms, seek medical help immediately. To help reduce swelling and discomfort from a horse fly bite, you can:

• Apply a cold compress
• Elevate the affected area
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medication

Remember to keep the bite area clean to prevent infection.

Preventing and Controlling Horse Flies

Protecting Livestock

One way to protect livestock, such as horses, is by turning them out at night instead of the day since horse flies are daytime biters. Providing shelters or canopy trees far from wooded edges of pastures or marshy areas also helps protect horses. Some tips to protect livestock:

• Turn out at night
• Provide shelter

Keeping Your Yard Clean and Free of Breeding Grounds

Horse flies thrive in damp areas, such as creeks and drainage areas in your lawn. Maintaining a clean yard and keeping long grass trimmed reduces their breeding grounds. Here are some areas to pay attention to:

• Drainage areas
• Long grass

Horse Fly Repellents – Chemical and Natural Options

Horse fly repellents can be chemicals or natural alternatives like essential oils. As examples, citronella oil and eucalyptus oil are effective natural repellents, while pyrethrins are used in chemical repellents.

Using screens on windows and doors, as well as sticky traps and disposable fly traps, can help reduce the horse fly population around your home.

Some natural repellents options:

• Citronella oil
• Eucalyptus oil

Some chemical repellent options:

• Pyrethrins
• Insecticides

Pros and Cons of natural repellents:

Pros and Cons of chemical repellents:

Remember, it’s vital to use appropriate methods for controlling horse flies and protecting your livestock, yard, and home. Combining proper yard maintenance with the use of repellents can help you create a safer environment free of painful horse fly bites.

DIY Horse Fly Traps and Solutions

Homemade Mechanical Traps

Homemade mechanical traps are a cost-effective way to control horse flies. An example of this is the umbrella horsefly trap, which can be made using materials like a black pail and a white umbrella. The trap works by attracting horse flies to the dark pail as breeding grounds, and the flies get trapped under the inverted umbrella. Key features of a homemade mechanical trap include:

• Cost-effective
• Easily made with readily available materials
• Targets breeding grounds

Bottle Traps and Sticky Fly Paper

Bottle traps and sticky fly paper are easy-to-make solutions for horse fly control. For instance, a coke bottle trap can be created using a plastic bottle filled with a mixture of rotten meat and water to attract flies. Sticky fly paper placed nearby can catch the attracted flies. Key characteristics of these traps are:

• Simple to create
• Easily replaceable
• Suitable for smaller infestations

Comparison Table

Natural Repellent Recipes

Natural repellents can be created using ingredients like dish soap, vinegar, and white vinegar. For example, a repellent spray can be made by combining one cup of water, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and 1/4 cup of lemon dish soap. Mineral oil and bath oil can also be used as natural horse fly repellents, providing a gentler solution for sensitive horses.

Some advantages of natural repellents include:

• Chemical-free
• Safe for sensitive horses
• Environmentally friendly