We have deer flies, horseflies, and the most evil of all... those nasty greenhead monsters. The highlight of my summer one year was when I killed a greenhead with a pool noodle. Whenever one starts zooming me, I grab my noodle and they must know what it's for, because they hang back as long as I have that noodle in my hands. However, that's not the most relaxing way to enjoy the pool, so I also keep a grungy baseball cap, and a spray bottle of 30% deet insect repellent in my pool bag. When they start zooming, I spray the cap with deet and keep it on. It works well!
Horseflies?????
- Thread starter new2pools
- Start date
Our horseflies are getting less and less lately. Guess we killed em all!LOL (literally at least 5 every time we were in the pool....they were maddening! 
)
My 8 year old son's head usually became the bait. I could never see them in time on me...or rarely anyway. But they always liked to land on his head, sometimes 2 at a time, and he's sooo great at standing still til I can make it over there to get em! So I kept a flyswatter in my hand and whacked em! Thank goodness the flyswatter is lightweight and flimsy and it doesn't hurt him at all.....works great and is much better and less hurtful than when I used to try to lightly smack them off with my hand anyway!
It sort of becomes a game after awhile....what else ya gonna do?? :-D Nasty horseflies! 
)My 8 year old son's head usually became the bait. I could never see them in time on me...or rarely anyway. But they always liked to land on his head, sometimes 2 at a time, and he's sooo great at standing still til I can make it over there to get em! So I kept a flyswatter in my hand and whacked em! Thank goodness the flyswatter is lightweight and flimsy and it doesn't hurt him at all.....works great and is much better and less hurtful than when I used to try to lightly smack them off with my hand anyway!
It sort of becomes a game after awhile....what else ya gonna do?? :-D Nasty horseflies! 
- Aug 13, 2007
- 71
Now, I'm Not Sure...
but I was sharing my float with a dozen bees. Hub said it was cause it was so dry here. Hasn't rained in months. I put out another float and they went to it...a decoy
This was during the time of our tribulation with our pool So the chlorine was low.
We got the chlorine back up AND topped off the 'plastic pond' that the goldfish live in and the cats drink out of and Voila' Today there were alot of them there!
We were then varmit free at the pool!
So, I'm wondering if our chlorine is up to par, if they don't like it? jenn
but I was sharing my float with a dozen bees. Hub said it was cause it was so dry here. Hasn't rained in months. I put out another float and they went to it...a decoy
This was during the time of our tribulation with our pool
So the chlorine was low. We got the chlorine back up AND topped off the 'plastic pond' that the goldfish live in and the cats drink out of and Voila' Today there were alot of them there!
We were then varmit free at the pool!
So, I'm wondering if our chlorine is up to par, if they don't like it? jenn
Re:
I had to dredge up this old thread because I am back to doing battle with the flies. I thought those greenheads were the worst but now we have these smaller (but still big) all-black horse flies, that are pure EVIL, and relentless. I can never enjoy just floating on a raft because they attack within minutes and do not let up. They are faster than greenheads and bite down immediately when they land on you. Even my Deet-sprayed cap trick does not work on them. They are unfazed by it.
So are there any new solutions to the horse fly problem? I guess will try a place like Tractor Supply and see what they have to repel them.
MeSue said:
I had to dredge up this old thread because I am back to doing battle with the flies. I thought those greenheads were the worst but now we have these smaller (but still big) all-black horse flies, that are pure EVIL, and relentless. I can never enjoy just floating on a raft because they attack within minutes and do not let up. They are faster than greenheads and bite down immediately when they land on you. Even my Deet-sprayed cap trick does not work on them. They are unfazed by it.
So are there any new solutions to the horse fly problem? I guess will try a place like Tractor Supply and see what they have to repel them.
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
We have horses so do get our fair share of all of the nasties. Well, it's hard to fight ALL of them but we have put a big hurtin on most of our flies this year - horseflies, deerflies, houseflies, stableflies and mosquitos with most others with a combination of fly predators, larvacides (feed through and dunks), traps and foggers. They are all particularly bad this year due to the never ending rain.
I think the biggest two are the foggers and fly predators - the rest help, but those two make an impact you can see.
Fly predators are little parasitic flies that lay their eggs in the fly pupae - we get a "bag of flies" once a month and spread them out in any areas that flies hang out - obviously the stables, feed troughs, water tanks but also around our pool. These little guys spread out up to 30 meters from where you "plant" them and never bother people, animals or plants. This has helped IMMENSELY - the horseflies and deerflies are less than 1/2 of prior years; the houseflies and stableflies are 90% less than before - but next door, wow, they are 5x worse than prior years. Fogging 20 min before a swim takes care of the rest.
I think the biggest two are the foggers and fly predators - the rest help, but those two make an impact you can see.
Fly predators are little parasitic flies that lay their eggs in the fly pupae - we get a "bag of flies" once a month and spread them out in any areas that flies hang out - obviously the stables, feed troughs, water tanks but also around our pool. These little guys spread out up to 30 meters from where you "plant" them and never bother people, animals or plants. This has helped IMMENSELY - the horseflies and deerflies are less than 1/2 of prior years; the houseflies and stableflies are 90% less than before - but next door, wow, they are 5x worse than prior years. Fogging 20 min before a swim takes care of the rest.vejadu;8247]Try to let them land on you and kill them. I read on another pool forum that they are very territorial and once you've killed the ones that bug you, new ones won't come. I've found that to be true in our case over the last couple of years.[/QUOTE]
Actually, Horseflies give off a scent to others and it can cause more to come. so unless you are prepared for either having none around anymore or swatting at them left and right I'd try to be careful.
To get rid of the horseflies you could waste almost 300 dollars to get a zapper or just start trying home recipes for a spray. We use vinegar warm water and salt and it seems to be working, and making them die/go away.
Actually, Horseflies give off a scent to others and it can cause more to come. so unless you are prepared for either having none around anymore or swatting at them left and right I'd try to be careful.
To get rid of the horseflies you could waste almost 300 dollars to get a zapper or just start trying home recipes for a spray. We use vinegar warm water and salt and it seems to be working, and making them die/go away.
I hung a fly trap bag near the pool to help deal with flies. It it a plastic bag you will with water which dissolves a pouch inside that acts as a bate. The flies go in, can't get out and die. It smells like garbage (literally) but does fill up with a hundred or so flies in a week. After 2-3 bags, the flies are pretty much all gone. Check your hardware or big box store.
here is what i use. works great. i usually have to change it out after 2-3 weeks. fills up pretty fast. dont put it too close to where you are going to gathering. stinks to high heaven.
RoxxW
0
Has anyone considered bats? The make bat houses (out of wood) and you mount them high up on a tree side. Bat's find them and live in them. They are notorious for eating insects. Not saying it works great, but it does cut down and your mosquito and horse fly populations some after a period of time!
I have one of these. Maybe not the most efficient means of dealing with them, but it's darned sure the most fun.
Bug-A-Salt Infomercial (Salted Campaign!) - YouTube
My local Ace Hardware carries them.
Bug-A-Salt Infomercial (Salted Campaign!) - YouTube
My local Ace Hardware carries them.
I use the fly traps at Home Depot. Hang them around the property. It cut our fly problem down 95%