Fly bites are a common problem for pets of all sizes — from horses to dogs to cats — especially during the summer months. There are lots of different flies that can torment people and pets!
A few common types of flies:
- Blackflies — sometimes called “buffalo gnats” because they have a hump over their heads. These flies are tiny (approximately one-eighth of an inch long) bloodsuckers that tend to swarm near fast-moving water. There are more than a thousand species of blackfly… that’s a LOT of biting.
- Deerflies — medium-sized flies that can transmit disease with a bite. They are aggressive and leave painful bite wounds behind as they drink human and animal blood. You can identify them by their wings: a deerfly has dark bands on the wings. Deerflies are hard to kill — they are often resistant to insecticides.
- Horseflies — the largest of the biting flies (up to one inch long). They’re also the hardest to control and kill. You’ll see these big, heavy, colorful flies around stables… but they don’t just bother horses and other livestock.
- No-See-Ums — also known as “biting midges” or “punkies”, these tiny flies (approximately one-eighth of an inch long) like mud, moist soil, and marshy areas. No-See-Ums are bloodsuckers.
Did you know? Flies don’t just suck blood — they can feed on blood, saliva, tears, and mucus! Fly bites are painful, but that isn’t the worst of it. Fly bites can also spread disease.
So how do you keep biting flies away from your family and pets? Many biting flies are repelled by the same insecticides that keep fleas and ticks at bay.
Keeping your yard clean can really help cut down on fly populations — if your yard isn’t attractive to them, they’ll find somewhere else to lay eggs and feast. Pick up doggy doo and don’t leave decaying material (like grass clippings or wet hay) around.