Yellow Flies!

[30A Skunkape]

I don't think anything can repel those dam yellow flies! I got a dozen or more bites the other night on legs. Bathed them in vinegar. The huge swelling literally disappeared and absolutely no pain or itching.

Based on someone's advice, we bought a bottle of Swamp Gator at Frank's this morning. It worked better than I could have imagined as a repellant.

 

[PJJ]

It's not 100%, but Skin So Soft helps to repel them and you can also spray on your dogs.

 

[Leader of the Banned]

I would get DDT injections if I thought it would keep away the yellow flies.

 

[Teresa]

maybe some of these things help repel a little, but those flies are just HORRIBLE no matter what you do! It seems like they have phases, they start out slow then they get desperate and attack like zombies on crack, then they slow down and die out for a while.

 

[Cuff]

Thanks everyone. I have tried every suggestion with little success. The bugs seems to bother some people more than others. I have a friend that has no reaction to the bites!! Tried to do a bit of gardening this am but was soon chased in the house. Will these pests be around all summer? I read different opinions.

 

[Jdarg]

Numbers waaay down at our house.

 

[Lake View Too]

I'm an old-timer in this area, and I've probably built up an immunity, but I've found that if you resist the urge to scratch the bite, the effects (the itching) goes away rather quickly. Also, the yellow flies like the shade, in the dusk and dawn. If you go out in the midday sun, they won't be there. (They aren't as crazy as the proverbial mad dogs and Englishmen.)

 

[Rachael Ashman McKee]

Preventing yellow fly bites, my family and I have had good luck with taking a garlic pill daily. Growing up near rice fields, we were always told to take garlic for anything that bites for blood, mosquitos, biting flies and yellow flies. And the occasional times we were bitten, it didn't react as much.

 

[Leader of the Banned]

I'm an old-timer in this area, and I've probably built up an immunity, but I've found that if you resist the urge to scratch the bite, the effects (the itching) goes away rather quickly. Also, the yellow flies like the shade, in the dusk and dawn. If you go out in the midday sun, they won't be there. (They aren't as crazy as the proverbial mad dogs and Englishmen.)

I'm not so sure about the immunity part. You may be just lucky. For a lot of people with allergies, these bites are sensitizers. It gets worse with each bite. True about staying in the sun though. During the month of June , do all your yardwork in the noon day sun. Don't drink your cold one on your shaded patio unless it's screened in. For me, scratching has nothing to do with it. Sometimes I don't even know I've been bitten until the next day when I've got these huge welts.

 

[sunspotbaby]

Haven't been seeing as much in the past week....whereas, other weeks I can kill several a day on my porch. I believe the numbers have something to do with dry spells and rain.
We've had a little dry spell so when we get another rain, the numbers will probably pick up.

Oh, and I know people that are very loved by yellow flies and people that don't get bothered at all by them. :roll: