Horseflies - hateful little shits

Complaints Corner
1
Anyone else been plagued by horseflies this Summer? Been attacked mercilessly whilst out walking and biking the last couple of days, but don't recall it being so bad last year. Maybe it's because of the current heatwave, but I recall last Summer being pretty hot too.

2
It is quite warm, I can recommend citronella oil/preparations made from the same to keep horseflies & mozzies at bay.

3
Yes, the little bastards. I just thought it was because we've been spending more time in pastureland than usual.

I might try the citronella preparations suggested above.

4
When I lived in the mountains a few years ago on our horse farm I was bitten and suffered terribly from horse fly bites. The buggers aren't like normal flies in that you can't feel them when they land on you. The first thing you know is a sharp sting, like a needle prick.

My arm went up like half a grapefruit once and it took over a week of strong anti histamines to even begin to help. But once I was bitten when talking to a neighbour farmer and he at once rummaged in the grass and gave me a leaf of Narrowleaf Plantain , it grows wild amongst grasses all over Europe. You need to fold the leaf over a couple of times and bite it to release the "sap" (or whatever the liquid is in there) and rub it on and around the bite. You might need to keep doing it for a while with fresh leaves but honestly, it works. I know you're a scientist of some sort so you might be able to find out whatever it is in there that does the trick, but it's invaluable if you're out in the wild with no medication.

You can spot the grass as the flowers/seed heads and tight dark brown. The ones growing on Flumserberg have narrower leaves than the one in this pic and they may look different where you are. Try it, it really does work!

EDIT. BTW, I found the younger fresher leaves worked better than the older more woody ones

5

Maybe they fancy Paddies !!!

I was told once drinking beer helps as it gives an acidic sweat and flies and the suchlike are not attracted.

I have absolutely no idea if it is true, but i refuse to change my position one iota

6

This plant grows in most natural grass field, and it also helps with bees and wasps stings, as well a stinging nettles. It’s the combined effect of saliva and the leaf which does wonder to soothe bug bites.

7
Avon Skin So Soft keeps mossies at bay... might help? Think it has citronella in it. A friend of mine swears the SAS use it...

8

This herb is good for so many things, teas for cough or indigestion...you name it. For bites - back home they mince the fresh leaves in a mortar and leave the paste on a bite for a few hrs.

The best insect repellent is the Brumm, it seems to scare all insects away.

9
Fenistil works well post bite

10
Unfortunately they do

11
It's only the females that bite, so there's your problem cut in half straight away.

I was going to suggest you ride faster on your bike, but it seems that horseflies are pretty fast fliers. (The males are faster, but I'm sure the females are no slouches.)

Horseflies can lay claim to being the fastest flying insects; the male Hybomitra hinei wrighti has been recorded reaching speeds of up to 145 km (90 mi) per hour when pursuing a female

12
Same effect on woman.

13
...Webb and Wells estimated that horse flies would consume 1 cc of blood for their meal, and they calculated that 20 to 30 flies feeding for 6 hours would take 20 teaspoons. This would amount to one quart of blood in 10 days.

Try this homemade insect repellent:

Combine 1 part pure geranium oil with 10 parts of pure soybean oil to create an effective homemade insect repellent that performs as well as many commercial insect repellents containing chemicals such as DEET (N-dimethyl toluamide). In studies, the geranium oil and soybean oil combination was second only to lemon eucalyptus oil as the most effective and long-lasting natural insect repellent available.

14

Ahhhhh! there is no different between annoying isects and women

15
I'll go for for lemon eucalyptus then as why should I go for second best?

Maybe not but the average guy dreams about attracting woman like insects

Actually I just found out, Today Only is wrong: <> Bier drinkers are approached more by mosquitos. But they haven't found the reason for that yet.

16
Because women and insects are not identical after all?

17
In case you have ever wondered why farmers grow Geraniums in their window boxes, it is mainly because they are natural insect repellents.

18
I 'm no huge fan of Geraniums but I'll keep that in mind for next summer.

19
1 slab of beer this weekend, no horseflies....or maybe i didn't feel them

20
You know, the more I read about horseflies, the more impressed I get. (And I take my EF duties seriously, so I've rapidly come up to speed on the subject.)

The fly fast and they bite hard. They know what they want (basically, your blood) and ain't nothing gonna stop them.

Makes me wonder what these little beasties would be capable of with a bit of bathroom CRISPR hacking...