What Attracts Horse Flies?

Wondering what attracts the biting horse fly?  A horse fly has other relatives which are deer flies and yellow flies. They mostly mate during the summer season. Female horse flies are known for sucking blood. Their bites come with a lot of pain and put you at risk of developing rashes and infections. It is not always that easy to control horseflies due to their population and biting patterns. However, one of the best ways to tackle a horse fly is to identify what gets it attracted. 

Biting, Birth, and Eating

With respect to drinking blood, this is only attributed to a female horse fly. You will mostly find Horse Flies in activity between June and August. The reason is that the females require blood in order to lay their eggs which could number between 25 and 1000. Male horse flies only take in plants nectar. You mostly find horse flies hunting in areas that are surrounded by water where the Earth is soft. this environment is very good for a horse fly to lay its eggs. During heatwaves and sunny days, Horseflies attack often. They won’t only attack humans, but most mammals like horses.

Bloody Attractions

In order to identify sources of food, female horse flies usually have some techniques. They have the ability to detect the emission of CO2 as well as body odor. They use these signals to target their sources. Then again, fast movement, as well as body heat, serves as a source of attraction to them. You will also find them being drawn towards dark colors as well as wood smoke. It has been noticed that blue seems very attractive to the horse fly. If you happen to travel to areas that are clogged with water during the summer, avoid wearing clothes that have blue colors. The horse fly will mostly aim for the head, neck, as well as limbs. So, it is highly recommended that make use of hats, long-sleeve clothes, and more to protect yourself.

Controlling horseflies

There are some horse fly control products and methods that can be applied to help tackle these insects. Although these methods are very few, it can help to minimize their bites. At present, no established methods of eliminating them entirely exist. Sometimes, they can be resistant to a lot of sprays but it is recommended that you use a dedicated horse fly repellent spray in order to dissuade the insects. 

There are some interesting suggestions for making a DIY horse fly trap and you should check them out, could be a great solution for the summer months when they are at their most aggressive.