Horse Flies Gone YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[buzyizzy]

Whilst we are still being besieged with normal flies, I haven't seen a horse fly since July ended. Thank goodness

 

[Archangel]

That's true now I think about it. The flying ants have moved in though, my horse was covered in them the other night.

 

[rabatsa]

But the mosquitos are making up for the shortfall here.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Weirdly as my horses are by a river and cow fields the horse flies are usually horrendous, as in last summer I had to find alternative grazing until they went as my horses were being driven insane. This year we had barely any and certainly none for weeks. Wonder why? The regular black swarms of flies are horrific though

 

[tda]

Yes normal black flies out in force round here, but only seen a few horse flies this year

 

[pippixox]

Don’t know why the normal black flies are so bad this year though 🙁 they really irritate the horses, especially around their faces even with masks on. But at least they don’t bite

 

[Meredith]

I hadn’t seen a horsefly for a few weeks but yesterday killed 2 on my horse, doubtless there were others about.

 

[AFB]

We haven't had any horseflies for weeks, but horses are covered in normal black flies so much so that on the first day they were out in force I didn't dare swat the hand sized patch of them off his hip as I was scared of what I was going to find underneath!!

 

[Goldenstar]

They have stopped here as well but I think you get a second short wave of them before they give up altogether .
We started riding across farm land again on Friday it was heaven .

 

[Woah]

Don’t know why the normal black flies are so bad this year though �� they really irritate the horses, especially around their faces even with masks on. But at least they don’t bite

Yes the black stable flies do bite badly on a horse I know they burrow through fur and eat away leaving bleeding patches - they are the worst ones. They are attracted to this particular flea who has Cushing disease and seems to give off a certain scent they love. Horrid things.

 

[buzyizzy]

Don’t know why the normal black flies are so bad this year though �� they really irritate the horses, especially around their faces even with masks on. But at least they don’t bite

Faces and masks covered here too! Much more so than usual. Maybe it's the lack of water around? Horrid things. Looking forward to an easier ride today tho, especially as the temperature has dropped back to normal summer levels

 

[Equi]

Well i just got bitten by a flying insect on the palm. The palm!!!! How bloody dare it. tbf its not as bad as horsefly bite but it still stung a bit.

 

[cobgoblin]

Still got horseflies here.... They fly into the conservatory and fry.. I have no sympathy!

 

[MochaDun]

Yes horseflies gone (the horse's undercarriage took 2 weeks to go down...) but utter besieged with the normal black flies - in 5 years at the yard I have never seen them this bad - the bit from where the fly mask ends on his nose to his lips is just covered in them the minute they are turned out. And wasps buzzing the horses too - watched a wasp tonight thinking a brown spot on the horse was something continually. Horse did the sensible thing of freezing just the humans that do the windmill arms and squealing Don't know a lot about flies but I guess they're hungry, thirsty too for salt etc off the horse's skin etc maybe.

 

[Surbie]

Black flies are horrendous here. I spray the snuggy hood before it goes on and am getting through fly gel at a rate of knots. It gives him some respite during turnout. Can't help feeling the choice to harrow not poo pick can't help.