The ground may not have thawed yet, you might still be blanketing at night- but one sure sign winter is over- the flies are back! One of the most frustrating and annoying parts of horse husbandry is fly control. Take a survey of five people, and chances are every one of them will give you five “sure fire” ways of controlling the fly population around your horse- and usually not one of those suggestions will work for you!
Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all solution when it comes to controlling flies, and a combination of approaches is generally the most effective method of management. Along with the usual gathering of sprays, wipes, masks and sheets, there are several other steps you can take to make your barn a No Fly Zone.
Control the Environment
Flies are attracted to horses for one two main reasons: manure and moisture. Cleaning pens of manure and wasted food daily is necessary for fly control, as is making sure that manure waiting to be handled (ie hauled away, spread or composted) is stored properly.
Hauling away manure regularly is the easiest way of preventing a breeding ground for flies, though in many cases it is not feasible. The spreading of manure over pasture can be accomplished without greatly increasing fly production, so long as it is spread thinly enough and allowed to dry out completely. Manure composting should be done as far away from where the horses live as possible, and the use of hydrated lime on the pile will discourage fly accumulation, as well as speed up the composting process.
Prevent Fly Overpopulation
No, you can’t spay or neuter your flies, but though the use of feed-through fly control, you can stop your current fly population from reproducing. These daily feeds can be safely fed to your horse, and contain an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) or larvicide that prevents the hatching of eggs from flies that feed on the manure. While these programs work well, they can take several months before full effectiveness is seen, and every horse on a property must be on the program for it to work.
You can’t fight fire with fire, but you may be able to fight flies with more flies! Fly predators are tiny winged insects that do not bother horses, but can be very effective at reducing the fly population. Fly predators lay their eggs in the pupa of flies, killing the pupa before it develops into a fly. Fly predators are available for purchase through several companies, and they are the “secret weapon” on many farms against flies. Fly predators must be released early in the fly season in order to be most effective, and instructions on the proper number of predators needed per farm, as well as release guidelines must be followed for them to work correctly. Fly predators are safe to humans and animals, are a great non-toxic way of controlling flies.
Frontline… for Horses?
Chances are good that you’ve used topical flea products like Frontline and Advantage for your dog or cat. You can’t beat the convenience- one tube, once a month, and no insect problems! Wouldn’t it be great if there were a similar product for horses, to control flies???
In the last few years, a new tool in the arsenal against flies has been developed. Several companies now make spot-on fly control products that help to kill and repel several species of flies, as well as gnats and mosquitoes. A tube of solution (a common type of fly insecticide) is applied on the horse in several different locations (legs, base of tail, withers, poll) and works for two weeks repelling and killing flies. In places with high number of flies, these solutions can offer your horse a welcome respite from the constant irritation caused by flies.
Topical spot-on treatments should not be used on horses that have sensitive skin, or have had reactions to topical fly sprays or wipes. Frequent bathing can diminish the effectiveness of the products, so more frequent application may be needed on horses regularly being worked hard or washed.
Ain’t No Flies on Me!
Along with the creative use of fly masks, sheets, boots and hoods, along with the ever changing catalog of fly sprays, mists and traps, some careful planning before the fly season starts can help to reduce and prevent a fly infestation.
