Biting Flies

[KJ1]

Helllo all,

I am wondering what is a natural way, or just a way that avoids the exterminator in getting rid of the biting flies. These things are like something from a horror film, they have no fear of me! They will chase me around the house and I have to shut a door in a room and do battle with them until I kill them. I have gotten good and managed to keep them out of the house, but when I am working on my yard during the day, I am getting bit and have little lumps like misquito bumps.

Anyway, I am wondering if anyone knows of anything that will repel them (like those citrus candles for the misquitoes) or if I need one of those machines that kill bugs in the air-something to make this menace go away!

By the way, the lot next to me is completely unattended to. There is no house, but the grass, et. grows so high, I cannot see my neighbor two doors down, and knowing nothing about flies (I never had to deal with biting ones before) I am not sure if even if I spray or whatever, I won't still have the problem because of the unattended yard next door.

If it seems nothing can be done, but to call an exterminator, please do say so and what they did if you don't mind.

Any informative responses, links appreciated.

God bless, KJ

[newfy.1]

There is no

You need to spray, but spray yourself with insect repellent when you go outdoors. You say you want something natural but IME, if it doesn't have DEET in it then it doesn't work all that well. Off makes repellent that has a lower percentage of DEET, I think 4 or 5%. Look for their brand called Skintastic, usually in the kids formula. It works, but not as long as something like Deep Woods off where the percentage is over 10.

Some people use those new mosquito machines which use propane tanks and supposedly clear an acre, but I don't know if they work on biting flies.

JennP.

[Doug Kanter]

Most towns have some sort of rules about how high grass can grow in a residential neighborhood. Call your town hall and find out the rules, and then ask them to send out whomever enforces those rules. The town knows who owns the land. Demand that it be maintained. Perhaps the owner would like to pay YOU to keep it mowed. This may not solve your fly problem, but it's a first step, and it's free.

By the way, you're not in the Adirondack mountains, are you? Are these blackflies? If yes, only nuclear weapons will stop them. :-) Fortunately, they're only around for a short time each year.

[Sporkman]

IF there is a way to collect, say, a dozen or more of these flies (LIVE) in a trap of some kind then you're in business. Dump water (pref distilled) on them in a jar -- drown them if necessary but at least immobilize them so they won't fly away -- and dump the water in a blender. Blend 'em up good, then put the water back in the jar and let it sit in the sun for an hour or three until it's nice and warm. Sieve the water through several layers of cheesecloth to get out the fly parts, then put some of the water in a sprayer . . . fill up the rest of the sprayer with more distilled water (preferably tepid temperature). Spray that water wherever you suspect the flies might breed.

Don't really know why this works, but I suspect it's because bacteria which are natural parasites of the particular species of fly will breed in the billions in the warm water. Spraying the bacterial laden water where the flies breed then make the flies sick and they die.

BTW, because you're likely to be spraying water with high concentrations of bacteria of unknown types it would be wise to do it when wind isn't blowing much, remain upwind of the spray, wear some protection for your nose, mouth and eyes, and use other precautions one would naturally use to prevent contracting illness from contaminated fluids.

'Sporky'

KJ1 wrote:

[Dan Hartung]

Um, an OLD blender, earmarked for rummage sale, one hopes.

[Dan Hartung]

You probably will. Flies, like any other species, need an environment to thrive. That's usually wet garbage, soil, or manure. Chances are in that yard there's a place where they just breed like crazy. So deal with that problem first -- find the landlord and contact him yourself, or just hand it off to the city.

Flies can go quite a ways, though -- are you near a forest preserve, or just a wooded creek? Or any farming operation? This may not be really simple.

Contact your local Extension agent. They'll probably be happy to help, at least, identify the source of the problem.

[Repeating Rifle]

in article [e-mail], KJ1 at [e-mail] wrote on 7/9/04 8:02 AM:

Of the zillions of different biting flies, which ar bothering you. The ones I have dealt with over the past few years are aquatic no-see-ums.

Bill

[KJ1]

Thanks Jenn,

I did buy some Off for misquitoes a month or so ago. I just happened to catch the commercial for it with the guy in the tent with "misquitoes and biting flies". Somehow, I didn't catch that it also applied to biting flies until this last time when I saw the commercial.

I also have some Ortho, and biting flies is on the list of things it kills, so I think I will use that as a spray and hope for the best.

Thanks again.

God bless, KJ

[Doug Kanter]

Be sure to read the instructions on them thar chemukuls, or yer gonna kneed more'n god's blessin's.