Choosing a horsefly remedy to protect animals and the site

Horseflies are insects that cause certain inconvenience to both humans and livestock. Their females bite very painfully and then begin to suck out blood. They are kept mainly near rivers and lakes, where their larvae develop. Fighting these bloodsuckers is quite difficult, but still possible. And today we’ll talk about how to choose an effective cure for horseflies.

Protection for man

Quite often, the accumulation of horseflies can be observed near pastures, for this reason, you should first bypass those places where livestock are regularly grazed. If you still happen to be there, then in such situations it is advisable to use the simplest personal protective equipment. These include:

• a suit made of thick cotton fabric with long sleeves and full trousers;
• a hat with a net that will protect the face, neck and ears;
• gloves.

When working on a pasture in the summer, it is advisable to treat exposed areas of the body with an “OFF” or “DETA” spray. A special mosquito repellent cream can also be considered a remedy for horseflies for people, but just remember that the effect of it is noticeably weaker and you will have to renew the layer of the drug quite often. If none of the above funds were available, then in extreme cases, as a protection against horseflies, you can use the cheapest cologne with cloves - clove powder must be added to the bottle and left for a week in a warm place. You have enough ready-made funds for the whole summer.

Horseflies, as a rule, are not bitten, but if this still happened, then the affected area should be thoroughly rinsed with water and treated with medical alcohol.

Important! Moving objects attract horseflies, so in order to avoid bites, it is advisable to stand still, not wave your arms and not run!

Trap

Such devices are non-toxic and at the same time show the greatest efficiency near a large number of cattle. You can buy a ready-made trap or make it yourself.

• Trap for large insects - this device is quite large in size and ideal for insects such as horseflies. Bloodsuckers attracted by a large object fall into its metal compartment and soon die.
• Sticky paper - such a trap is also called a flycatcher. A layer of special glue is applied to the paper web, which can hold both small flies and fairly large horseflies.
  

  Advice! You can attach a small segment of such an adhesive trap to your headgear. Thus, the horseflies that circle around your head will no longer bother you!

• Light trap - this device works according to the following principle: light attracts flying insects, which die from an electric discharge after contact with a lamp.

In order to make a trap for horseflies with your own hands, you will need a stool or a chair and a medium-sized ball, preferably dark.We hang the stool to the ceiling in the barn and attach the ball from below so that it can freely rotate around its own axis. We wrap the legs and the lower surface of the stool seat with double-sided adhesive tape. Now it remains only to attract insects. To do this, spin the ball from time to time. The horseflies will fly into a dark moving object and will certainly stick to the tape. You just have to collect dead individuals or periodically change the sticky trap. A similar device can be installed directly on the site, having built it from boards and linen cone.

Chemicals

Among ready-made chemicals for protection against horseflies, you can choose products based on such active substances as:

• organophosphates;
• organochlorine;
• pyrethroids.

All of them work with the same efficiency, but it is important to remember that over time, insects can develop resistance. For this reason, for a long time it is advisable not to use one drug, but periodically change them.

Important! If you decide to change the chemical, then before buying it is advisable to familiarize yourself with its composition, since the main role is played not by the brand name, but by the active substance. Otherwise, you risk acquiring the same insecticide, but under a different name!

Animal protection

Since getting rid of all horseflies with the help of a trap alone is far from always possible, especially with a large accumulation of them, it is therefore sometimes allowed to treat the animals themselves with a chemical preparation. The insecticide should be poured into the sprayer and evenly distributed on the body of the animal. It happens that horses and cows are scared of the spray gun, in such cases the drug can be applied to their body with a sponge. Do not forget to wear rubber gloves when working with the product and avoid any contact of the insecticide with the skin.

On a note! Experts' opinions on the use of chemicals directly for animals are ambiguous, because due to short contact with insects they may not bring the expected result. There are, of course, more effective chemical insecticides based on DETA, but it should be borne in mind that they can dissolve plastic, so they can cause serious harm to animals!

In order to make life easier for livestock and horses without the use of hazardous substances, it is enough to observe the following rules:

• the places where they are located should always be clean - periodically remove manure, clean the drinking water channels and change the old flooring to a new one;
• do not pour drinking water for animals in buckets and basins, it is better to take care of the presence of good drainage systems - this way you can avoid stagnation of water;
• if near places where animals are constantly located, there is a pond or a swimming pool, then during the period of active movement of horseflies, try to cover them with foil;
• periodically mow tall grass - so insects will be deprived of moist, cool places for reproduction;
• try to make sure that the animals are constantly under shady shelters - most often they suffer from attacks of insects on the street, so on a hot day it will be more comfortable for them in a closed stable or shed;
• if possible, put nets on the ears of horses and cows, protect muzzles with masks, you can also hang special repellent bloodsucker tapes directly on the body;
• Castrate only in winter - at this time there is practically no horsefly and they will not irritate the already painful wounds of animals.

Territory protection

How to get rid of horseflies on a site? For the treatment of the territory, it is allowed to use any chemical from the list above. Before using an insecticide, all animals should be removed from the crib. It is possible that livestock will need to spend some time outside and after treatment. In a word, read the instructions.

The drug is sprayed into the stable, treating all surfaces: walls, rafters, floor, ceiling and cornices.During the operation of the spray, make sure that the drug comes out under low pressure. In this case, be extremely careful and try to make sure that the product does not get into drinking water and food. In addition to the barn, it is also advisable to cultivate the adjacent territory, while the more square meters you spray, the longer the effect will remain.

To combat horseflies, folk remedies can also be used. The most common is a solution of liquid soap. To prepare it in 9 liters of water should dilute a couple of glasses of liquid soap. The horseflies are sprayed with the finished preparation and after some time they die.

The second tool is used to spray the area. For it, you will need a mouthwash with a mint aroma, lemon soap and lemon ammonia. The components must be mixed in approximately equal proportions and treated area.