About horsefly repellent

About horseflies

Horse flies are large flying insects often considered to be pests because of the bites they inflict. They can be very loud, especially in the night. They can live anywhere in the world, except for the far north and the far south, where it is too cold for them. Like many other biting insects, it is the female horseflies that bite and feed on the blood, while the males feed on pollen or nectar. Horseflies mostly feed on mammals, including humans. Horsefly bites are known as very painful and they also cause itching, redness and swelling.

In certain areas, horseflies are particularly abundant and they prey not only on animals but on humans as well. Since pest control is very important in prevention of diseases, not to mention the prevention of pain and discomfort caused by the bites, it is good to now how one can efficiently repel horseflies from the home and its surrounding.

Natural horsefly repellent

There are many recipes for natural horsefly repellents, based on the ingredients that horseflies find to be irritating or harmful. Most of them come in liquid form that should be stored in a spray bottle and used whenever it is necessary.

One of the basic horsefly repellents combines two cups of white vinegar, one tablespoon of olive oil and one cup of cold water, all mixed together. The liquid is placed in a spray bottle and shaken well before spraying it on a horsefly. This remedy is very effective against horseflies but, unfortunately, it does not repel deer flies.

In the prevention against horsefly bites it is often enough to protect the horses. When the horseflies stay away from horses, they stay away from humans as well.

One of the remedies that can be applied to horses’ legs is the combination of six caps of Skin So Soft or a similar body lotion, one cup of white vinegar and a few drops of liquid soap. This mixture should be sprayed on the horses’ coat and legs and, aside from repelling horseflies, it will also make the coat shiny and smooth.

Another option is to mix one tablespoon of tea tree oil and one cup of water. This remedy can be sprayed on the horses and on the surroundings as well and it is very efficient in keeping the horseflies away.

As for the protection for humans, the remedy is one tablespoon of tea tree oil and four tablespoons of liquid Vaseline. The two ingredients are mixed and when the mixture hardens, it should be applied around the ears.