How to eliminate horse/deer flies

I have a very unique property that I manage for a family whom I built a house for. Their property is 40 acres of wetland, has an 8 acre pond in the middle with the house on an island in the pond.

I’m 14 years into taking care of this property and every year we notice that the deer flies are continually getting worse. It has evolved into now when you turn off the road onto their driveway (about 1/2 mile long), you have swarms of orange balls flying around your truck. Doesn’t matter where your at those little bass turds are on you like stink on poop. Even the deer spend the majority of their time in the pond.

So here is the weird part. I know the neighbors well and have been on their properties. Its not until you get close to the property I manage that they get bad. When you get about a section away, you find almost zero deer or horse flies. So its obvious there is something to this property that is a breeding ground.

Has anyone ever took on something of this scale to reduce deer flies? If so, what did you use besides napalm?? Chemicals is only an absolute last resort. Looking for a natural or organic method

I’ve seen these things work pretty good to get rid of them. But it doesn’t help the breeding situation.. Or maybe it would over time?

https://bugballkit.com/

IceNEyes1986 wrote:

I’ve seen these things work pretty good to get rid of them. But it doesn’t help the breeding situation.. Or maybe it would over time?

https://bugballkit.com/

When I first started doing Google searches, I saw all the blue cup “trolling” traps and thought it was a joke. Maybe some truth to them??

But yes, I am looking at the the breeding aspect of it. They can offspring up to I think 800. Would be pretty hard to put a dent in the population

I know a few guys that swear by the TangleFoot, but again, not sure it helps the breeding aspect any. They are bad at my house, swarming the truck, chasing me on the mower, but only for a couple weeks. I think they are just starting the lighten up.

Those deer flies are MERCILESS! I encounter those things when I fish the river in the summer sometimes and they’ll land right on your face and take a bite out of you. Plus they’re damn near bullet proof too. There is no repellent that works on them either. I’ve tried imported Canadian 100% deet spray and that didn’t even phase em. Good luck trying to control those things, they are a curse.

This should work

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Deer flies lay their eggs in water. Their main predators are frogs, fish, spiders, and birds. You either need more predators eating them, or you’d have to treat the pond with chemical to kill offspring before developing. My guess is the house on an island in the pond has lead to fewer predators to eat the young.

Now, my dad’s property in central mn has lots of woods and wetland. Tons of predators, but tons of deer flies. So, who knows. We’ve been trying things for years and have never had much of a result. It’s boiled down to wear long sleeves, bring a hat to seat with, or a battery bug swatter. Dad will occasionally light a fire in a barrel on the upwind side of the yard to get a slight smoke haze, which he believes helps with deer flies and mosquitos around the house. Good luck.

My parents have about a 100 acre pond adjacent to them. Every year they are terrible but never even compare to this year. Ive killed more and have been bitten by more then all other years combined I think. Every time I even rub hand across the top of my head I squish at least a couple. There is a population explosion this year and they are hungry.

yeah, those things suck…. couple good reads

https://spalding-labs.com/support/fly_control_support/w/guide_to_fly_control/225.deer-and-horse-flies.aspx

https://spalding-labs.com/products/fly_control_products/fly_traps/p/h_trap.aspx

pretty much are screwed and are stuck with trapping…there must be a way to stop them from breeding.

I know this is an aged post but I couldn’t help but share my epiphany. I was just thinking of a way to reduce horse flys on my property. Then I noticed the birds swooping down in the yard, so I wondered are they swooping down to eat them dang flies? Turns out they are! Now the only reason I’ve disliked these birds was that they would nest in my sheds. Well I think I’m gonna strike a compromise with them and put up a few bird houses throughout the property and just try to keep breeding spots to a minimum. I’d say I’ll update but this is a long term strategy and I’ll forget about this account I created for the sole post when I have results lmao!

Following. I thankfully do not have the same problem, but your post definately has piqued my curiousity. Good luck, sounds miserable. A question, is there any rye or winter wheat on that property?

Josh……do you know what type of birds??????/ we have all varieties at the cabin.

with the amount of bugs up there every bird should be the size of an eagle!!!!