Discussion
Cut the grass yesterday and got assaulted by horseflies. About 10 welts on each leg, half a dozen or so on each arm, plus another 10 on my back. Guess that’ll teach me for mowing the grass topless and in shorts!
Been fighting the urge to scratch them for the past 24 hours but was wondering if anyone knew of anything that would reduce the itchiness?
I gather it’ll take 2-3 days before they start going down unfortunately.
Been fighting the urge to scratch them for the past 24 hours but was wondering if anyone knew of anything that would reduce the itchiness?
I gather it’ll take 2-3 days before they start going down unfortunately.
so called said:
Not seen any since ?
That’s because they’re all in my garden. 
32 bites in total in the end, then a second Covid jab the next day to finish me off!
Thankfully they finally seem to be easing up now but my lesson has been learnt. Trousers and long sleeves next time the ride-on mower is out.
otolith said:
I just had the one attack while mowing at the weekend - 1-0 to me, it got swatted and mowed before it could bite me.
Antihistamine cream helps with the itching, but the bites can turn nasty.
I don’t react well to them.
Ouch. If I’d had 32 reactions like that I’d have ended up in A&E!Antihistamine cream helps with the itching, but the bites can turn nasty.
I don’t react well to them.
Weirdly the bites on my left leg are going down faster than those on my right leg but as long as they’re going down I don’t care.
Took some anti-histamines yesterday but they didn’t seem to relieve the itching at all unfortunately. Full on jungle strength bug repellent next time the grass gets cut. That and some tiger balm in the cupboard just in case.
You can get some extra strong spray repellant from supermarkets which can do the trick
The instructions on the back about it being a severe irritant to the eyes, highly inflammable etc makes you think the military used it as weapons grade.
There's one brand of lotion thats supposed to be as good Johnson and Johnon baby oil?
The instructions on the back about it being a severe irritant to the eyes, highly inflammable etc makes you think the military used it as weapons grade.
There's one brand of lotion thats supposed to be as good Johnson and Johnon baby oil?
I think the only 100% effective solution is to cover up, unfortunately. Or to cut the grass later, I find them a bit less active in the evening.
They also seem to be attracted to darker colours;
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/aug/02/...
They also seem to be attracted to darker colours;
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/aug/02/...
Just to cheer everyone up a little.
'Normally' every year I drive down to Spain with my Wife, normally taking 3 or 4 days to get there.
In 2017 we stopped for a coffee at the Orange Services.
Sat outside drinking a coffee, I noticed others swatting at something and several people at different tables looking concerned.
Turned back to my coffee only for my Wife to yelp once and then twice as I tried to chase off a rubby great Horse Fly.
A few miles later and my Wife had two great welts in the middle of her back.
Two days later we arrived at the rented Villa just south of Salou.
We unloaded the car and then sat with our feet cooling in the pool.
Once again my Wife let out a yelp and this time it was a bee sting in the side of her neck, the sting still in there pumping away as I pulled it out.
That evening she gained around 20 mozzy bites to my zero.
I don't use repelants or anything like that, I take a sacrificial Wife along.
'Normally' every year I drive down to Spain with my Wife, normally taking 3 or 4 days to get there.
In 2017 we stopped for a coffee at the Orange Services.
Sat outside drinking a coffee, I noticed others swatting at something and several people at different tables looking concerned.
Turned back to my coffee only for my Wife to yelp once and then twice as I tried to chase off a rubby great Horse Fly.
A few miles later and my Wife had two great welts in the middle of her back.
Two days later we arrived at the rented Villa just south of Salou.
We unloaded the car and then sat with our feet cooling in the pool.
Once again my Wife let out a yelp and this time it was a bee sting in the side of her neck, the sting still in there pumping away as I pulled it out.
That evening she gained around 20 mozzy bites to my zero.
I don't use repelants or anything like that, I take a sacrificial Wife along.
Why is this though? My wife similarly attracts flying biting things, particularly horse-flies, while they pretty much ignore me. For some reason my garage attracts horse-flies too. When ever I'm at the bench with the double door open there's a continuous stream of them flying in past me, and then getting caught in the spiders' webs on the back windows. They're the easiest flies to swat, but my garage also has a false-widow infestation, and last weekend I was quite happy to stand back and watch the spiders do their thing.
Yertis said:
Why is this though? My wife similarly attracts flying biting things, particularly horse-flies, while they pretty much ignore me. For some reason my garage attracts horse-flies too. When ever I'm at the bench with the double door open there's a continuous stream of them flying in past me, and then getting caught in the spiders' webs on the back windows. They're the easiest flies to swat, but my garage also has a false-widow infestation, and last weekend I was quite happy to stand back and watch the spiders do their thing.
There is science behind it based upon blood type and other factors (diet etc). O is most popular for beasties that feast on us and the best repellent is to take someone with blood type O with you, like the 3rd expedition crewman on a star trek away mission..HRL said:
Cut the grass yesterday and got assaulted by horseflies. About 10 welts on each leg, half a dozen or so on each arm, plus another 10 on my back. Guess that’ll teach me for mowing the grass topless and in shorts!
Been fighting the urge to scratch them for the past 24 hours but was wondering if anyone knew of anything that would reduce the itchiness?
I gather it’ll take 2-3 days before they start going down unfortunately.
Lavender oil works very well at taking down the swelling/blisters and stops the itching - almost instantaneously. I was also a victim at the weekend. Been fighting the urge to scratch them for the past 24 hours but was wondering if anyone knew of anything that would reduce the itchiness?
I gather it’ll take 2-3 days before they start going down unfortunately.
The smell might remind you of your grandmother for a bit but its not unpleasant!
Thebaggers said:
Yertis said:
Why is this though? My wife similarly attracts flying biting things, particularly horse-flies, while they pretty much ignore me. For some reason my garage attracts horse-flies too. When ever I'm at the bench with the double door open there's a continuous stream of them flying in past me, and then getting caught in the spiders' webs on the back windows. They're the easiest flies to swat, but my garage also has a false-widow infestation, and last weekend I was quite happy to stand back and watch the spiders do their thing.
There is science behind it based upon blood type and other factors (diet etc). O is most popular for beasties that feast on us and the best repellent is to take someone with blood type O with you, like the 3rd expedition crewman on a star trek away mission..so called said:
Never had a problem with horse flies in the garden until 3 years ago.
Both myself and my daughter were bitten several times.
Really dopey things though, easy to bat away with the back of your hand.
Not seen any since ?
And I spoke too soon here as I got bit at the weekend. Both myself and my daughter were bitten several times.
Really dopey things though, easy to bat away with the back of your hand.
Not seen any since ?
Edited by so called on Monday 19th July 15:12
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