Just what is the point?

[JamezF]

Of horseflies, that is...

I understand that hornets and even wasps are quite beneficial insects despite the occasional inconvenience they cause, but as far as I can tell horseflies are just right little bar stewards. I've been slapping them off me all day. You can tell where I've been around the property by the trail of dead horseflies. Even got one halfway through a meal, which wasn't pretty. And the little gits hang about in the roof of the polytunnel just waiting to dive on you the moment you walk in.

Would the world actually be a poorer place if they all disappeared overnight? I'm struggling to see how...

James

 

[pargyle]

Of horseflies, that is...

I understand that hornets and even wasps are quite beneficial insects despite the occasional inconvenience they cause, but as far as I can tell horseflies are just right little bar stewards. I've been slapping them off me all day. You can tell where I've been around the property by the trail of dead horseflies. Even got one halfway through a meal, which wasn't pretty. And the little gits hang about in the roof of the polytunnel just waiting to dive on you the moment you walk in.

Would the world actually be a poorer place if they all disappeared overnight? I'm struggling to see how...

James

Either that or train them to eat bindweed which is the world's most useless and annoying organism ...

 

[MillMeadow]

Of horseflies, that is...

I understand that hornets and even wasps are quite beneficial insects despite the occasional inconvenience they cause, but as far as I can tell horseflies are just right little bar stewards. I've been slapping them off me all day. You can tell where I've been around the property by the trail of dead horseflies. Even got one halfway through a meal, which wasn't pretty. And the little gits hang about in the roof of the polytunnel just waiting to dive on you the moment you walk in.

Would the world actually be a poorer place if they all disappeared overnight? I'm struggling to see how...

James

They seem to have an uncanny ability to select the tenderest areas to feed on.

Food for swallows and swifts or bats though I guess.

 

[JamezF]

They seem to have an uncanny ability to select the tenderest areas to feed on.

Got bitten the other day on the back of the knee, right on the crease of skin where the ligament is. That was insanely irritating.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Horrid. They blooming well hurt and I swell and itch for a few days. Stan's pretty hairy....well he's a bloke after all... and he feels them land so swats them.

 

[Mabee]

They apparently don’t like light colours and are attracted to darker colours (like a horse), so if you are being bothered a lot you could try wearing light or bright colours?

 

[StephenT]

Horrible creatures. I remember being savaged by them when fishing as kid and ending up looking like the elephant man/boy. Another reason to avoid the dangerous countryside

 

[Erichalfbee]

Another reason to avoid the dangerous countryside

Yes....stay away.....Horrid place

 

[DaveG23]

They apparently don’t like light colours and are attracted to darker colours (like a horse), so if you are being bothered a lot you could try wearing light or bright colours?

Well my wife is Irish with very pale skin and they seem to love her.

 

[Mabee]

Well my wife is Irish with very pale skin and they seem to love her.

I was more referring to clothing which they are attracted to, unless she walks around naked a lot, in which case she’s leaving herself vulnerable to insect bites of all sorts!

 

[Sutty]

They seem to have an exploratory "prod" before a proper bite - I find if I can swat them at that stage it's much less painful & the reaction is much less. Nasty gits! I'd risk the small risk of environmental meltdown to get rid of them (& midges).

 

[Jules59]

Does mosquito repellent work for horse flies ?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Of horseflies, that is...

I understand that hornets and even wasps are quite beneficial insects despite the occasional inconvenience they cause, but as far as I can tell horseflies are just right little bar stewards. I've been slapping them off me all day. You can tell where I've been around the property by the trail of dead horseflies. Even got one halfway through a meal, which wasn't pretty. And the little gits hang about in the roof of the polytunnel just waiting to dive on you the moment you walk in.

Would the world actually be a poorer place if they all disappeared overnight? I'm struggling to see how...

James

Pity the original Vapona strips were taken off the market. A couple of those in a poly tunnel would have dealt with the horseflies (plus gnats wasps mosquitos etc) unfortunately they would also kill any bees that entered the tunnel too