Thunder bugs!!!

[wattamus]

How long to the little buggers stay around for?!
Went out for a ride today, obviously wearing hi viz and the horse was covered (and having a meltdown!) With the number of bugs swarming round her.
Any advice when is best to ride or how to get rid of the little buggers?

 

[Bernster]

Yuk just googled to see if they were the ones I was thinking off. Urgh all itchy now! Are they the teeny little things that look like black skinny beetles? Get everywhere? They were out in force on Saturday, blurk.

 

[shortstuff99]

They are called thrips

 

[MotherOfChickens]

we don't get them here *feels smug after growing up in East Anglia and remembering how mad they drove us all*

 

[Shay]

They are attracted to bright colours so will absolutely zone in on Hi Viz and white. There isn't much you can do to discourage them other than wear dark colours - not ideal for road work! There are over 600 species so its difficult to predict how long yours will stay around for, but they have a life cycle of 9 - 21 days and breed until the cereal crops on which they feed are harvested. You might find avoiding fields with ripening cereals might help? They have difficulty swarming and flying in the rain so riding in the rain might also discourage them. They are not trying to feed on you - they are only attracted to the colour - so insect repellents etc won't work. A full body hi viz ride on rug might give the horse some relief? But they are so small they may just get in under it and make matters worse.