Summer fly control

Take preventive steps to minimize flies.

A sure sign that summer is in full swing is the buzz-buzzing around your head—especially at the barn. Pesky flies are simply a part of owning horses. The good news is there are more ways to control them now than ever before. According to the USDA, a single horse’s manure can yield over 27,000 immature flies in one day, which makes control a challenging process.

Here are some methods that will greatly diminish—or in some cases even eliminate—flies, and with that their ability to spread disease, multiply and constantly irritate your horses.

1. Manure control: While this one is obvious, it does get neglected. Make sure your horse’s stall or pen is cleaned every day and free of urine and manure. This simple process will decrease flies dramatically because they prefer to lay eggs in manure. Store manure or spread it away from the barn.

2. Feed-through control: These products are generally applied topically to the feed, are ingested, travel through the horse’s system, then are excreted with the manure to stop immature flies from developing.

Depending on the flies’ developmental stage, it may take a few weeks to notice a major difference in fly population. Several variations and brands of feed-through control are available on the market.

Overall, this type of control has proven 95–100 percent effective for controlling flies. One product claims that it “breaks the life-cycle by preventing the formation of the exoskeleton” of the larvae. Another variation is made of herbs and spices that are natural fly repellents. After the horse eats it, he’ll emit an unpleasant odor from his coat—to a fly, that is.

3. Natural predators: These are tiny, non-stinging wasps that can be purchased and released around the barn. They’re more effective if they’re introduced before flies multiply, but can be helpful at any time. Wasps lay eggs in the fly pupa, utilizing flies for food.

4. Sprays, insecticides, foggers and traps: These methods have been around for quite some time. Fly sprays and/or creams are very effective short-term, but some wash away in the rain or break down in the heat of the day, requiring consistent application. Roll-on fly repellents can be effective up to a week. Insecticides, foggers, traps and zappers can be utilized around the property or in the barn for additional protection. Be aware that not all insecticides are safe for horses or other pets, so be sure to read the label. Automatic sprayers/insect control systems in the barn are an option; they can be set to spray at certain times and durations.

5. Wraps, masks and sheets: These are all products your horse can wear that help deter flies. Wraps (typically made of mesh) can be worn on the lower legs for fly relief, similar to face/eye masks and sheets. As always, be sure they’re made of breakaway materials and are used in safe enclosures. As an added bonus, some of these products also provide ultraviolet protection for your horse, and some have reflective strips to make the horse easier to see at night. Also, some fly halters (and bridles) on the market have strips that hang down to “swat” at the flies when the horse shakes his head.

By Doreen Shumpert

Printed in the August 2007 issue of Appaloosa Journal.

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