More Artillery for your War on Mosquitoes and Flies

This is the fourth and final post in the series on alternative approaches to fly & mosquito control on and around our horses. Let's discuss other lines of defensive that have not been covered in previous segments of this topic.

Insect-repelling plants

If you are so inclined, planting the following may be helpful. Please do further research before planting in areas where horses and pets can access them to ensure they are not toxic. It may be wise to plant them nearby, but not within reach.

Myrtle Bush Myrtus communis is a small-leaf aromatic evergreen shrub. Originally native to the Mediterranean, it can also be cultivated in warmer parts of North America. Elizabeth Loftin who is an expert on the wild pones of Shackleford Banks, NC was interviewed for an article in Natural Horse magazine.

"Myrtle bushes are great substitutes for fly sprays and they repel fleas and ticks. You can hang the branches in stalls for the horses to naturally rub against or shuck the leaves off the branches, like shucking corn, and mix the leaves in with the regular bedding whether it's shavings, straw, or just a dirt floor. I actually rub the leaves on my horses. I scrub it into their coats like a massage and then finish with a normal grooming brush. This method not only eliminates flies, but leaves the coat shining like you won't believe! The wild mustangs of Shackleford Banks taught me this one. They groom themselves naturally in the myrtle bush groves on the island." source

Mint and its cousin, Basil are strong aromatic plants that deter insects. Both are super easy to grow and you can use them in your kitchen as well!

Citronella - I researched this until my eyes bled. We know that citronella in its concentrated oil form does in fact repel mosquitoes. Depending on who you ask, Citronella plants may or may not be effective. For every piece of information I read supporting the theory, there was one which refuted it. My best advice for this? Plant your own and see if they help.

Fly Parasites

Many horse owners swear by fly predators, and for good reason. They do help, IF you follow the directions and as long as any other horse owner within a quarter-mile of your place uses them as well. These tiny wasps (don't worry, they don't bite or sting) lay their eggs on the cocoon of a developing fly. When the wasp larva emerge for their eggs they dine on the developing fly. You can subscribe to a fly parasite service such as Spaulding or Arbico that will send you fresh pupae monthly through fly season.

Insect Growth Regulators

An IGR, such a cyromazine, is a feed-through that is beneficial once it is passed through with manure. IGR’s work by disrupting the pupal stage of the fly’s life cycle, by preventing the fly’s exoskeleton from forming properly and thereby killing them. In order for IGR to be most effective, you will want to feed it to all horses at your barn.

You are what you eat - One theory suggests that if your horse's blood sugar is elevated, he is more attractive to biting flies and mosquitoes. I can't speak to the validity, but it would seem to make sense to me. If we feed garlic and apple cider vinegar to horses to make them LESS attractive to flies, then why wouldn't it be the same of fly attractants such as sweet feed, sugary processed horse treats . Check the starch and sugar content of the feed, including your hay.

Practice Good Barn Hygiene

Flies and other pests can't breed if they don't have the proper place to lay their eggs. By keeping your barn and paddocks free of manure, wet bedding and standing water, you will creat a less-inviting environment for these unwanted visitors.

If you have a manure pile, locate it well away from the barn area.

Remove manure and soiled bedding as often as possible, two or three times a day in the summer months is not a bad idea, if you are available to do so but at the very least daily.

Remove wet hay - biting flies actually prefer laying their eggs in wet hay!

Look around for standing water. Even the smallest amount of standing water can become a nursery for mosquitoes. Dump it out and invert anything that can collect rain water.

Spread ground limestone (lime) (calcium oxide) to deodorize and help manure break down more quickly

Spread diatomaceous earth to help kill off pests (keep in mind this practice can kill beneficial insects too so be mindful of where you spread it)

Feed FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth to your horse. Not only does this help with internal parasites, when passed through the system with manure, it will deter flies from laying eggs and/or kill the larvae. Be sure it's the type that is for human or livestock consumption, such as Red Lake .

Keep the feed room swept, close up grain bags/bins. Wash feed buckets often. Daily if you feed a mash.

DON'T KILL YOUR ALLIES!

Some of the insects we see in and around our barns are quite beneficial.

Yellow Dung Fly - The yellow or golden dung fly is a welcome visitor. According to one source, it is the most abundant fly in North America, though I saw more of these when I lived in Maine than I do here in Florida. Females are a dull yellow or brown, males are more vividly colored. They resemble bees to a degree, but are more "fly shaped."The female dung fly will lay her eggs in fresh manure. When the larvae hatch, they feed on the manure and help speed decomposition. Adult dung flies eat other fly species. So here you have a double-duty insect ally!

Dung Beetle - Have you ever watched a large black beetle rolling a piece of poop along? Let her alone. She is bringing home dinner to her offspring. This industrious beetle will bury the dung ball and lay her legs on it. When the larvae hatch, dinner is served.

There are actually several species of dung beetles, generally grouped as Rollers, Tunnelers or Dwellers. Each name is self-explanatory. According to one source a dung beetle can bury up to 250 times its weight in dung in one night!

Check out this link for more interesting information on dung beetles!

Horse Guard Wasp - These beneficial wasps range from Pennsylvania to Florida and west to Oklahoma. When I first saw this insect buzzing loudly and slowly around my horses, I thought it was a horse fly and would include these as targets in my quest to eliminate pests. My farrier corrected me one day, calling them "gaurd flies" and explained that they were excellent fly hunters. This extremely helpful wasp can take up to 60 flies for each of her eggs, which she lays in separate holes in the ground. (It's a little morbid to think about her paralyzing the fly and then enclosing it with her egg in the chamber, to be food for the hatching larva, but that's how nature sometimes works). I now respectfully welcome these wasps. They are not particularly aggressive and the horses seem to know they are there to help.

Dragonflies -- Oh how I love to see the calvary arrive! I usually see these "angels of mercy" (or "death" depending on your perspective) in small squadrons, darting around like Snoopy and the Red Baron taking aim at as many mosquitoes as they can gulp down. Dragonfly larvae are aquatic, just like their favorite dish - mosquito larvae - and can live in the larva stage for as long as six years. Not only are dragonflies welcome allies in the barnyard and backyard, but they are often considered messengers for our dear, departed loved ones. How cool are dragonflies? check out more interesting dragonfly facts here.

In the quest to help rid our barns and horses of pesky stable flies, biting flies, mosquitoes and ticks, a lot of it can be trial and error. What works for one kind of insect may not work for another. Since many of these pest have seasonal peaks, we will need to constantly switch out our lines of defense. Keep in mind, (as one of my favorite horsemen mentioned) everything in life needs constant adjustment to adapt to the current situation. So be prepared with multi-prong plan as you head into battle.

Happy Trails,

Bella