Most people do not know what the bite of a horse fly feels like until they get attacked. When this happens, they get to understand how different the bite of this fly is from that of other biting insects. In reality, it would not be bad if you referred to this fly as a vampire fly. It feeds voraciously and being attacked by females in swarms can cause you to lose up to 2 cups of blood within 24 hours. Just like the mosquito, horseflies need an area where there is water to breed. Then again, a female horse fly will have to get access to a blood meal which is a necessity for reproduce.
Bodies of water, as well as mammals, usually exist near each other. This causes a horse fly to mostly access breeding grounds where they can find both. Its behavior happens to be the reason that it is given this name.
Eating pattern
A horse fly may appear small in size but its mandibles happen to be very ferocious. Unlike with other insects that insert there sucking straws for food, horseflies usually rip the skin apart with the use of giant Jaws. The blood is lapped up from the victim, not sucked.
It is for this reason that the bite from a horse fly comes with a lot of pain. They are also seen to be vectors for a wide range of infections which include swamp fever.
Preventing horse fly bites
A lot of biting insects can be said to be fragile. All you have to do is just swat them to get them killed. When it comes to the horse fly, the case is different. This insect is actually robust and hardy. When it spots a prey, it will continue to chase it incessantly until she has enough blood.
In general, hungry flies are usually very persistent. Sometimes, using a horse fly repellent may not be as effective depending on how persistent the insect is. You could also use a horse fly spray to apply directly to your horse, as well as a wide range of fly control products for pastures and barns.
There are some other ways to prevent horse fly bites. One of such ways is staying indoors, not really an option if you own a horse or any other animals. Horseflies love outdoor environments and will avoid shaded or dark areas. Another way is to put on heavy clothing as well as protective hats. This will reduce your chances of being bitten by Horseflies. Wearing light colors will also reduce your attractiveness to the horse fly.
One method which is considered to be the most effective if you are looking to prevent being bitten by horse flies is to try and reduce their breeding areas.
Control with Professional Horse Fly Control Products
Get in touch with a horse fly control specialist, such as the experts at HappyHorse.com, we can help you apply an integrated approach to ensure that you stay protected from horse flies. The specialists know the best horse fly control products and methods to use to keep your environment free of houseflies and to stop them from coming into your area.