Yellow Flies and severe allergic reactions

[Douglas the Intrepid]

Skin so soft by avon works well for Yellow flies and gnats. I also just heard listerine works well.

Listerine only works if you light it on fire after applying it! Some will still get through, but it will take care of the worst of them. ;-)

This is also the first I have seen SWGB's drunken run in with black balls and I have to say I am still LMAO!!:funn:

 

[KHorne]

KHorne, did you get bitten again? R was bitten the other day and had major allergic reaction. They bite me and don't even swell. From everything I read, it sounds like the allergic reaction is to the anti-coagulate which the female deer flies inject when they are biting, to keep the blood flowing.

They are very bad this year, all over the Gulf coast of FL. DEET doesn't seem to prevent them from buzzing you, but it might help keep them from biting. I have created a formula which seems to work very well at repelling them.

Use a spray bottle and fill almost full with white vinegar. Add essential oil of lemon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. Not only do they cut the smell of the vinegar, but they are natural insect repellents. Shake well before spraying. Also seems to work well to keep the flies off the dogs. This formula also works fairly well in fighting dog flies and mosquitos.

I suppose you could also make a salve using bee's wax, olive oil along with the three essential oils, to make it last longer.

Thanks! No bites yet, I'm taking a Dr. prescribed anti histamine everyday :shock: to hopefully prevent
trouble if I were to get bit? bitten? Allergist in Crestview is checking to locate some serum. I am Just trying to be preventative since it's "season" and
staying on top of it! Thanks. I have also found that rubbing a dryer sheet on your skin HELPS keep them from landing on you. I dunno how that is for your skin though. Thanks for the great info! You are great!

 

[sarawind]

Apply comfrey cream four to seven times daily. Comfrey cream contains the compounds allantoin and mucilage, which quickly absorbs into the skin to relieve inflammation from yellow fly bites. It also accelerates cell growth prevention skin scarring.

Step 2

Apply a slice of onion to the bitten area. Onion contains a high amount of sulfur compounds and other active ingredients that draw out the pain. The onion reduces the swelling in only a few hours. Cut an onion in half and wait a few seconds for its juices to ooze out. Apply to the bite, rubbing in circular motions. Do this for 15 minutes. Do not rinse off until after five hours. Repeat as needed.

Step 3

Apply tea tree oil. This oil contains the substance terpinen-4-ol, which prevents infections and reduces inflammation of the skin. Apply tea tree oil to the bite area generously and massage for 10 minutes. Leave it on your skin until your next shower.

Step 4

Rub a lemon on the affected area. Lemons contain citric acid, which helps dilute the toxic effects of the yellow fly bite while reducing the inflammation and pain associated with it. Cut a lemon in half, remove the seeds and rub it on the affected area for 15 minutes. Let it dry and repeat when needed.

Step 5

Apply aloe vera to the bitten area. This medicinal plant contains a high amount of amino acids and vitamins that help regenerate the reddened bitten area. It also reduces the pain from the bite. Use the juice straight from the aloe vera plant. Avoid using aloe gels sold commercially because they contain too many ineffective artificial ingredients. Try to buy an aloe vera plant from a plant store and use it directly on your skin.

Tips & Warnings
Wash your hands and the affected area thoroughly with soap and water before applying any of the above natural treatments.

 

[HD Lady]

We have found that "Cactus Juice" is a good repelllant for yellow flies (and yes, it is made from cactus juice). It is a product that comes in both lotion and spray formula. You can get it at Frank's or South Bay. They usually have it on the front counter this time of year. If you do get a yellow fly bite, plain old white vinegar applied directly to the bite will greatly reduce any reaction to the bite. Works well on mosquito bites and bee stings as well. Hope this helps.

 

[Lynnie]

What's the frequency and severity today of those vermin?

 

[sunspotbaby]

Went to the beach Friday and soon as i parked, I reached down to scratch my leg not realizing i was scratching a yellow-fly bite. Now it was activated and itched like crazy. I got to thinking about the salt water and sand so i took a pinch of wet sand, put it on the bite and scrubbed it in. No more itch. Even today if i scratch that bite, it doesn't start that intense itching. I've discovered the cure. (for me, anyway)

 

[heartbren]

Yellow flies

I am not from here but have lived here for two months now. I am not sure I know what a yellow fly is. Is it a big thing or smaller like a regular fly? The flies down here are viscious. My washer and der are outside and I hate going out there when the sun goes down. I get eaten up and itch something awful. Friends don't seem to have a problem when with me, but they just love to eat on me. I was just wondering about the yellow flies so I can look out for them. I have allergic reactions to bee stings so I don't know what would happen with a yellow fly. I saw a big yellow fly like bug flying around out there. It was really big though. Please let me know and this site is so informative. I hate the flies and whatever else is eating me up. Also what is the black ball thing? I may need one. Thanks much everyone. I hate bugs that bite.

 

[BlueFox181]

They are awful. Not huge, but painful!

 

[heartbren]

Yellow flies

They are awful. Not huge, but painful!

Thank you very much for the picture of the flies. That was very nice of you.

 

[sunspotbaby]

Bren, they are really fast too and when they get on you, you won't feel them.

If you let them land on you though, you've got a really good chance of slapping the sheet out of 'em while they're trying to get a bite. I hunt them down at my house! :angry:
They are attracted to dark moving victims, so Mosquito control will bring you a beach ball that's been painted black. They then put glue all over it and hang it in the shade as a trap. It somewhat works. Not all areas are affected by yellow flies. In Destin, they don't even know what one is.