Horseflies and Ticks

Wonderland · #1 07/21/10, 04:00 PM

I don't know about anyone else, but the horseflies are AWFUL here this year. They won't leave my horses or my goats alone, despite using fly spray on the horses and lice/fly powder on the goats. The ticks are pretty bad, too, at least compared to the relatively few we normally have.

I know that Ivomec is supposed to get rid of lice, but would it work on ticks or horseflies? Horseflies are probably a stretch, but ticks are kind of similar to lice... Well, it's just a thought.

Also, is lice/fly powder safe for pregnant does? I couldn't find it anywhere on the label, so I haven't used it on my does since they've been with the buck. It says it's safe for use in lactating animals.

It's too bad I can't spray Deep Woods Off on them, since that seems to work pretty well on me!

BethW · #2 07/21/10, 05:28 PM

I use Permectrin II for ticks and it works nicely. Just mix it according to the directions and spray it down the topline. I don't know if it can be used on pregnant does.

The horseflies are another matter. They've been horrible here too, much worse than I'm used to. Haven't found anything to control them besides a well-placed swatter.

Wonderland · #3 07/21/10, 08:44 PM

Thanks!

Horseflies really are the worst. Agitating things.

motdaugrnds · #4 07/21/10, 11:37 PM

Horse flies were bothering my goats terribly until I coated them with Atroban (Permecthin III). That was over 2 wks ago and I have not seen a horsefly on them since. Actually I have not seen but a couple of any kind of flies. (We also use Fly Predators.)

Minelson · #5 07/22/10, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motdaugrnds

Horse flies were bothering my goats terribly until I coated them with Atroban (Permecthin III). That was over 2 wks ago and I have not seen a horsefly on them since. Actually I have not seen but a couple of any kind of flies. (We also use Fly Predators.)

What area are you from? I am finding that nothing is working this year...even the fly predators. It's worse for my horses though than my goats. I am putting an order together with Valley Vet and see that they carry the Atroban. I am afraid to spend any more money on fly sprays...so far it's been a total waste of money and I have spent A LOT!

Backfourty,MI. · #6 07/22/10, 10:27 AM

The flies & mosquitoes have been really bad here too! Must be the hot, humid weather they Love.

I did buy the stuff someone talked about in another thread from TSC. It was a 40 oz. bottle for 12.99 called Bug Stop. It's in the equine section & in a purple bottle.
I had already put the Cylence on them for the flies, but this stuff is supposed to work Great for mosquitoes & the shaded part of there pasture areas are wooded so lots of mosquitos.
Anyways I sprayed them a week ago with it & it seems to be working pretty good but it's supposed to last 3 weeks & I don't think each spray will last that long. I will probly treat at 2 weeks, but I also don't think I put as much on as the bottle says.

Wonderland, why can't you use Deep Woods Off? Will it harm them? I have used it alot on my goats & they are OK. The only problem I found with using that is it is pretty Exspensive to use on all the goats & I found I needed to spray them with it almost every single day.
Maybe it will last longer on your goats if your area's less wooded, etc. than mine. Can't hurt to try it.

Zephaniah · #7 07/22/10, 11:45 AM

"The flies & mosquitoes have been really bad here too! Must be the hot, humid weather they Love"

Not Hijacking - but - Have you all read about the decline of the bat populations, mainly in the East coast areas? I even think there was a thread here about some kind of nose fungus of the bats. One help could be to insure bats and martins on your property.

Minelson · #8 07/22/10, 11:49 AM

We have tons of bats. Even in the house UGH!!!YUCKERS!

Backfourty,MI. · #9 07/22/10, 12:15 PM

I see bats here alot also, Have a Martin house we put up 2 springs ago down by our pond but still haven't seen any martins yet. Have a ton of other birds though.

Wonderland · #10 07/22/10, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

TWonderland, why can't you use Deep Woods Off? Will it harm them? I have used it alot on my goats & they are OK. The only problem I found with using that is it is pretty Exspensive to use on all the goats & I found I needed to spray them with it almost every single day.
Maybe it will last longer on your goats if your area's less wooded, etc. than mine. Can't hurt to try it.

My main thought there was the cost. I figured that I'd have to apply it nearly daily (my shy ones would LOVE that

), and it only comes in those tiny little cans. Our place and our neighbors are pretty wooded, and we have a ditch running through it that I'm sure the mosquitoes love.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zephaniah

Not Hijacking - but - Have you all read about the decline of the bat populations, mainly in the East coast areas? I even think there was a thread here about some kind of nose fungus of the bats. One help could be to insure bats and martins on your property.

I've read about that. I haven't seen any bats around here recently, and the horseflies, mosquitoes, and dragonflies are all over the place! I hadn't put it together, but that probably has a lot to do with why there are just so many flying bugs this year. We do have a family of martins, but they live in a light fixture on our front porch.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 07/22/10, 03:22 PM

I do also use the mosquito stuff that you hook the bottle on your hose & spray around your house like when your going to have a party. I think Off makes one & so do some other companies. It say's it last's up to 8 weeks & can be sprayed directly on buildings, flowerbed's, grass, etc.

Well I put that in a hand held gallon type sprayer & add water(not the whole bottle) & spray all around & in their houses, barn stall's, the spool's, pallet's, etc. that are in their pasture area's where they lay, I even spray the fenced are's where they can't reach the weeds on the other sides, under rabbit hutches, etc.
It does work pretty well & last's longer than anything else.

I still spray the goats but I just started using that Bug Stop from TSC & it seems to be working well. I have used the Avon's Skin So Soft mixed with water & deep woods OFF but I had to spray almost daily with those too! My goats HATE it but I actually thin they were getting used to it but like you said the OFF get's TOO exspensive to do that everyday or even every other.

Wonderland · #12 07/22/10, 03:36 PM

That sounds like a good idea. I'll have to look for some of that stuff. Is it with the regular fly spray in stores like Wal*Mart?

I saw some of the Bug Stop stuff at TSC yesterday and thought about getting it, but I wasn't sure how well it would work. They had some in a little roll on bottle. That would probably be more expensive, but it might be better considering how much everyone - even the horses - hate being sprayed.

Backfourty,MI. · #13 07/22/10, 06:52 PM

I just went & looked at the bottle I bought this year & it's by Cutter & called Backyard Bug Control. I know other companies make it also but this was the one that was probly on sale becuase I got 2 of them. It is sold by the yard & garden pest control items at any department or big grocery stores. Mine had a Meijers tag on it.

The Bug Stop at our TSC was $12.99 for a 40 oz. Bottle & if I only have to spray them every 2 or 3 weeks that will last way longer than Deep Woods OFF for sure.

StockDogLovr · #14 07/22/10, 09:43 PM

Has anyone tried diatomaceous earth? It's fine like powder and is supposed to kill insects. People use it in gardens to kill garden pests, but it can also do in good insects like bees. For flies that hatch in manure, I've heard good things about people sprinking it on manure piles. Seems it would be good sprinkled anywhere flies land. Also, it can be used as a body dust to control fleas/ticks. I haven't used it with any consistency on my dogs, but I did dust one dog who had some ticks, and they seemed to disappear (I didn't track what happened to them too closely, though). A friend put some on a rabbit that was covered in fleas and ticks, and it seemed to help. You just have to be careful about anyone breathing it in since it is basically microscopic silica skeletons of plankton. It's pretty cheap, so worth a try, I'd think. Sold at garden supply stores as well as feed/ag stores.

Wonderland · #15 07/22/10, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

The Bug Stop at our TSC was $12.99 for a 40 oz. Bottle & if I only have to spray them every 2 or 3 weeks that will last way longer than Deep Woods OFF for sure.

That's definitely a better deal! And I'll use any excuse to visit TSC...it's one of my favorite stores.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StockDogLovr

Has anyone tried diatomaceous earth? It's fine like powder and is supposed to kill insects.

I've heard of that, but was never able to find it anywhere. I might have been looking in the wrong places, though. I've heard you can even use that as a de-wormer, but I've always been skeptical of that....

Minelson · #16 07/22/10, 10:18 PM

I use DE everywhere. I would not use it as a dewormer though. I still have a gazzillionbazzillion flies and mosquitos. There are just too many this year with all the rain. But this made me think...maybe the DE is killing my fly predators! great.

Wonderland · #17 07/22/10, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

I use DE everywhere. I would not use it as a dewormer though. I still have a gazzillionbazzillion flies and mosquitos. There are just too many this year with all the rain. But this made me think...maybe the DE is killing my fly predators! great.

That would stink! Hopefully they've escaped it. We used those one year when we just had horses, and if I remember correctly, they weren't cheap.

Minelson · #18 07/23/10, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wonderland

That would stink! Hopefully they've escaped it. We used those one year when we just had horses, and if I remember correctly, they weren't cheap.

It's a little less than $20.00 a month. But between that and the sprays, traps, poison, DE, zip lock bags with water and a penny and all the home made concoctions I have been brewing up..it's getting dang expensive! Now I just came in from putting a dab of Geranium essential oil on the horses to see if that works...lol! I am turning into a fly nazi!

dezingg · #19 07/23/10, 10:40 PM

I don't have any experience with these products, but here are a few links to ponder.

http://www.horselineproducts.com/eppsbitingflytra.html

http://bitingflies.com/images.html

http://extension.missouri.edu/public...b.aspx?P=G7013

Good luck!

farmerjohn · #20 07/24/10, 09:41 AM

I have not tried this yet but read of it in a magazine or book just recently. It said to use Peppermint to control flies, fleas and ticks. The article said to use Peppermint soap or to use the plant and crush/rub over the animal. Not to mention that the animal will also smell good. Peppermint could also be cut and hung upside down to dry in barn area. The mint family of herbs grow prolific and if it works might be worth investing in a plant. They become a real problem as they grow anywhere and fast and are invasive unless in a container or contained area.