Biting Flies

[Miss Kitty]

It does not seem like we need to bathe in the vinegar. Just put a lite spray on the legs and arms and it worked. It is better than sitting in the house all day/night?

Looks like you stumbled on a great fix!! Now, just put it in a pretty bottle w/ a catchy name and sell it on 30-A! Instant cash for some good eating out...or GAS home! How's the beach today?

 

[wetwilly]

Looks like you stumbled on a great fix!! Now, just put it in a pretty bottle w/ a catchy name and sell it on 30-A! Instant cash for some good eating out...or GAS home! How's the beach today?

The ones we have encountered are the dog flies (I think). They do seem to like dark colors, salt (get out of the water and they will swarm you), and the over the counter bug repellants do not work on them according to everyone we spoke to. It also seems that based on your chemical make up (smell and taste) or the shampoo, anti persperant, perfume (wife) etc that they like some people better than others. The joke in my family is that since I am a "smelly, oily" Italian (1/2 Italian) that they do not like me as much as my wife and kids. Maybe that is why the vinegar works for me (Italian dressing).

We may bottle it and sell it if it works but....not sure. We'll let you know.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Seems that the cashier at the Tom Thumb has made our Laborday vacation a success!!! She suggested vinegar (remember "you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar"). We bought a bottle (white vinegar $1.39 for a bottle) and put it on this morning and the flies still landed on us but jumped off pretty quickly without biting us. :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

We have not tried it in the late afternoon or evening but we will be this evening. Kurt or SJ does this work or were we just lucky this morning??

We hope it still works later today.

I have not tried it on the Dog Flies, but vinegar is a natural insecticide, so it may work. I keep a bottle or two of VAW (Vinegar And Water) around the house for cleaning purposes. Maybe I should take one to the beach when I go. Vinegar also helps take the sting out of Jellyfish stings. It is a wonderful product.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Here is a recipe from the Walton Sun, May 2004 - I've made up a batch and keep it in a spray bottle in our refrigerator. Seems to work best if you apply right after being bitten. Rub in briskly. You can also try window clearner with ammonia, in a pinch.

Yellow Fly Bite and Sting (Jellyfish) Relief
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup ammonia
1/3 twp papain (meat tenderizer)
1 crushed asprin
Mix thoroughly and store in refrigerator. Be sure to label container.
When needed, shake well and apply with a cotton swab -
or heck, just spray it on fast!

Yellow flies seem to like shady, humid areas, tend to avoid large open sunny areas, hence, don't usually see them on the beach. For dog flies, enjoy the beach when there is a Gulf breeze.

Can you actually breathe with the fumes from the ammonia?

 

[patticakes]

SJ - Can you mix me up a vat of your homebrew for next week? I have scars from yellow fly bites from earlier this summer. Apparently all biting insects find me to be a tasty treat.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Can you actually breathe with the fumes from the ammonia?

Good ?...my guess is it makes you pass out and you don't feel them biting you!

 

[Smiling JOe]

SJ - Can you mix me up a vat of your homebrew for next week? I have scars from yellow fly bites from earlier this summer. Apparently all biting insects find me to be a tasty treat.

My current recipe, while working pretty good for the Deer Flies(yellow), is not working against the Dog Flies, but I do have a fly swatter. I am going to play with vinegar water solution to see if I can get it to repel. I really doubt it will though since heavy dosages of deet applied directly on the Flies, does not seem to bug them. I think one reason that they get me is that I don't take a shower just prior to going to the beach, so I have salt dried on my skin. Tasty.

 

[wetwilly]

Well we did some more extensive testing with the white vinegar mid/late this afternoon and it seemed to work pretty well. I applied it full strength liberally to my legs, arms, and neck and it kept them from biting me even though they would land on me. Unfortunately and apparently, the vinegar loses its strength for some reason (evaporation??) and frequent reapplication was required to keep them from biting. :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

My kids and wife put the vinegar on but then went into the water (salt) and then when they got out the flies feasted. So, not foolproof it looks like it works better then anything else we have heard and certainly better then nothing.

Eitherway, we all had a good time on the beach today!!!!

 

[Smiling JOe]

Well we did some more extensive testing with the white vinegar mid/late this afternoon and it seemed to work pretty well. I applied it full strength liberally to my legs, arms, and neck and it kept them from biting me even though they would land on me. Unfortunately and apparently, the vinegar loses its strength for some reason (evaporation??) and frequent reapplication was required to keep them from biting.

absorption

 

[Miss Kitty]

Well we did some more extensive testing with the white vinegar mid/late this afternoon and it seemed to work pretty well. I applied it full strength liberally to my legs, arms, and neck and it kept them from biting me even though they would land on me. Unfortunately and apparently, the vinegar loses its strength for some reason (evaporation??) and frequent reapplication was required to keep them from biting. :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

My kids and wife put the vinegar on but then went into the water (salt) and then when they got out the flies feasted. So, not foolproof it looks like it works better then anything else we have heard and certainly better then nothing.

Eitherway, we all had a good time on the beach today!!!!

How about a battery powered VINEGAR MISTER? I'm smelling some patents here!!!