Insect repellants that actually work?

[charlie900]

Poor Charlie was being eaten alive tonight so I sprayed him all over and by the time I had filled his haynet the little buggars were back! So can any one reccommend a repellant that actually repells!

 

[ruscara]

Are you talking about midges (not flies)? For midges, feed either Marmite - I put a squirt from a squeezy marmite bottle in feeds - or Marmite sandwiches, or Brewers Yeast. It seems to repel the midges. Honest!

 

[charlie900]

It sounds bizare but I will give it a go, thanks

 

[flyingfeet]

Mine is stuffed full of brewers yeast and dowsed twice a day with barriers enhanced fly repellant.

Its works better on our midges than avon akin so soft and any other product I've tried.

 

[MagicMelon]

There's squeezy marmite now?! Woo hoo! I tried feeding marmite in the past but it got so messy trying to get it out of the tub into feed, but squeezy marmite will solve that! Excellent, off to stock up on it today

 

[mad_egg]

Coopers fly repellent plus is excellent, and you only have to apply it once every three days.

 

[poggio]

wow I've never heard of that one!

and it really works ??

 

[joanne1920]

how much marmite do you need to feed? ive never heard of marmite being fed????!!!!! x

 

[Shilasdair]

I make my own fly spray....buy a big bottle of citronella oil (about £4 from the pharmacy), put about a quarter of it, plus the same amount of Canter Coat Shine or similar, plus two drops of Johnson's baby shampoo into a 1 litre container then fill with water and shake (you can add a drop of lavender too if you like).
MUCH cheaper than bought stuff, seems to last longer, leaves coats shiney and not greasy and hasn't caused me any problems.
Hope this helps
S
S

 

[Louby]

Weve tried them all including Deersec sp?? and Coopers and I dont think any really work great. Phaser stinks awful but we think its better than most. Ive just made up Theresa's recipe again and will be using that from tomorrow.
Flies, I hate them!!!

 

[mickey]

I have tried lots of brands, but now I use coopers green fly rep. You do have to use gloves when applying (so presumably it is quite a stong chemically based repellant). But it DOES work and it has stopped my horse getting eaten alive. Apply every few days like mad egg says. I buy mine in SCATS.

 

[ticobay831]

Hi
Have you tried this

http://www.aromesse.com/pages/aromaway.htm
Its very good, they do one for sweet itch as well

Debs x

 

[Peanot]

I use the flyaway fly spray and this seems ok. I also use my own repellent made with citronella, vinegar, cold tea, litsea cubeba .....etc

 

[Eceni]

[ QUOTE ]
I also use my own repellent made with citronella, vinegar, cold tea, litsea cubeba .....etc

[/ QUOTE ]

And the recipe for that is....?

E

 

[Peanot]

Start with the cold tea, add a squirt of thick washing up liquid, add some vinegar, about 50 drops of citronella, 20 drops litsea cubeba ( This can be left out, but I love the smell), and give it all a shake. I make it up in the litre fly spray bottles so as it is easy to apply. It works quite well for a home made recipe.
I`m sure there is something else that I have missed. If I think of it, I`ll let you know.

 

[Peanot]

[ QUOTE ]
Start with the cold tea, add a squirt of thick washing up liquid, add some vinegar, about 50 drops of citronella, 20 drops litsea cubeba ( This can be left out, but I love the smell), and give it all a shake. I make it up in the litre fly spray bottles so as it is easy to apply. It works quite well for a home made recipe.
I`m sure there is something else that I have missed. If I think of it, I`ll let you know.

[/ QUOTE ]
remembered, I also added tea tree and eucalyptus- about 10 drops of each.
Remember that you must add the oils to a base, something like sweet almond oil and you must shake it each time you use so as to disperse all the oils. Hope it works for you.
If you have a very light coloured horse-grey, skewbald etc, then forget the cold tea.