Horse flies out

[OldNag]

Two got me on Sunday. Gits.
I don't know which I hate more, wasps or horse flies. It's a close call.

 

[Meredith]

As an aside I forgot to mention this earlier
Today was the first time I have seen a bee harass a horse.
We were walking along at what turned out to be the worst horse fly spot and Finan almost put his nose into his under carriage. I had been swatting flies with my hand and swiping them off with my whip when for at least 25 yards a bee flew under and beside Finan. He was trying to walk and watch it at the same time. I was relieved when the bee disappeared as I felt our balance was not at it’s best.

 

[eggs]

First one spotted by my friend on Monday. I swatted my first one today ?

 

[BeckyFlowers]

I think we should start the Horsefly Olympics. We could have the sprint (running away from horseflies), the rhythmic horsefly gymnastics (best shapes made whilst dodging horseflies), most horseflies swatted, hardest whack, and my personal favourite - the horsefly dressage. Points awarded for the fanciest dressage moves your horse makes whilst battling horseflies. I'm sure there's room for more...

 

[BeckyFlowers]

.

 

[spotty_pony]

Yes they've been out here too this week - even biting me when I was poo picking yesterday ?

 

[Frumpoon]

Have insects populations in general changed in the last 25 years?

I just don’t recall horseflies at all when I were a lass in the 90’s but botflies and their eggs were a thing to be dealt with, yellow bot fly eggs to be scraped off daily etc

 

[throwawayaccount]

they were horrendous yesterday- rode into the field to ride and both me and my mare got attacked immediately (despite good anti-fly products).. dismounted immediately and left!! ended up plodding around the yard instead which was boring, but better than being eaten alive!

 

[Trouper]

OH got bitten out dog-walking yesterday - not a horse in sight! Have now taught him the "swat" technique!!

 

[J&S]

Had my first one returning home from riding yesterday mid morning. Spottie did a massive head shake and there it was on her cheek. Quickly knocked off but sadly not eradicated.

 

[Bernster]

We’re near a stream and we have horrid dive bombing little grey things. Can’t ride with your mouth open or you get extra protein. Friend has dug out her ride on fly rug!

 

[lannerch]

The horse flys have hit here to, on the plus side is they are exercising my retired horse who is now regularly cantering round his field with his chum to avoid them , it’s doing his arthritis the world of good.

 

[catkin]

Have insects populations in general changed in the last 25 years?

I just don’t recall horseflies at all when I were a lass in the 90’s but botflies and their eggs were a thing to be dealt with, yellow bot fly eggs to be scraped off daily etc

Yes, as have grass and wildflower species populations. Here we really noticed the difference has been accelerating since the wet summer 2012. The flies were very different last year, we had bots which like you haven't seen for years. Also places that don't usually have really bad flies did.
Hoping this year is better....

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Hacked with a friend Friday and the horse flies had joined the migdes. Horse was very upset so it's our normal no hacking for the next 5 weeks until they all die routine as he comes up in huge lumps when bitten.

 

[Widgeon]

Have insects populations in general changed in the last 25 years?

I just don’t recall horseflies at all when I were a lass in the 90’s but botflies and their eggs were a thing to be dealt with, yellow bot fly eggs to be scraped off daily etc

This is a really good point, I still have my little bot-egg knife but haven't used it since I was a teenager (about 15 years ago). I distinctly remember having to scrape bot eggs off the riding school ponies' legs every day, like you say.

 

[eggs]

I remember scraping the bot fly eggs off my ponies back in the 1970s but don't remember horse flies and we did a lot of hacking.

I've still got my bot knife too but haven't used it in years. I do however remember horse flies being around in the 1980s as the yard I was at then was on a bridleway which after about 30 metres took you into woods and I used to have to trot my horse out of the yard to get him into the wood and then keep a stiff trot up to try and outrun the blighters.

 

[Sealine]

Have insects populations in general changed in the last 25 years?

I just don’t recall horseflies at all when I were a lass in the 90’s but botflies and their eggs were a thing to be dealt with, yellow bot fly eggs to be scraped off daily etc

Interesting! Yes I agree. I don't recall horseflies from childhood and I don't recall having to remove bot eggs in the last few years. Could it be related to the climate or crops? I've noticed the horseflies are worse on some bridleways in my area (Herts) and have always wondered why.

 

[Meredith]

My first memory of a horse fly is from 1970. I was bitten on my arm. I had a bicep to rival Geoff Capes. ( that’s keeping things in the right era)
Bots seemed to have almost disappeared but I have noticed more in the last couple of years.
Horse flies however seem to have multiplied a million-fold.

 

[criso]

I've had to scrape bot eggs off regularly last 10 or so years

 

[rabatsa]

I have noticed that the years I have bots about my friend six miles away does not, and when she has them we do not.

 

[MummyEms]

We now have them in Suffolk too. Ggrrr I hack out most days with my two little girls on their 2 ponies and me on my sensitive mare.... I'm going to have my work cut out having to look after all of them!!!

 

[Louby]

Hate the beggars!!! Too scared to splat them as I react badly to them but got great satisfaction spraying phaser directly on 2 yesterday and they dropped to the floor yeyyyyy

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Killed my first one yesterday at ten last five pm…the wind blew it onto my mare and with cat like reflexes I slapped it. B****r I’m going to have to put fly rugs on ?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I think horse flies are worse now than they used to be. They used to seem to stick to certain areas, you would ride into a group and then out again. Likewise when my OH was mowing one year he drove the tractor through a bunch of horse flies and the cab filled with the blighters. There was a distinct wiggle in the otherwise lovely straight rows of grass as he was busy swatting them.
I remember delivering a yearling down to Bodmin moor in the 80's. She was white but the minute we unloaded her the horse flies homed in. Poor little girl didn't know what had hit her. At that time we hadn't seen any for a couple of years so she had never experienced them before. I swear we brought them back with us as we had them from then on. Hate the blighters.
Bots I haven't seen for a very long time now but we worm against them and there are no horses in adjacent fields so may be we are just lucky.

 

[scats]

I got trapped in the car with the first one I’d seen this year. It made for am amusing drive home!
Hideous things.

 

[Durhamchance]

I didn't see them but I got thoroughly chewed at a show on Sunday. I was in a white shirt and beige breeches- so can't even blame dark colours. They even got me through my breeches above the knee. The swellings have finally gone down, but the bite marks and bruises are still very visible. Bloody horrid creatures.

 

[Red-1]

I will just leave this here...



But after riding out for an hour and a half, I have just one bite to show for it, when the zebra skirt slipped down. Rigsby was fly free other than his knees a couple of times. The zebra thing does work. I even saw one come up and hang round then fly off without landing.

Of course, the neighbours in the village think I am auditioning for something!