The small annoying flies…

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a Gnat, a No-see-um, Mayflies, and a Black fly? You know the very annoying teeny tiny flies that like to fly into your eyes and ears and mouth. The ones that attack in hoards creating a cloud that is hard to shake, and force you to wear that funny almost more annoying face netting.  The teeny tiny flies that seem to do the most damage to your horse.  Eating the under chin, chest and belly raw.  If you have ever spent much time in wet areas or with horses in the north east you know exactly what I am talking about.  Now that we know which flies I am talking about, let me see if I can help clarify the differences for you. 

Is it a Gnat or a Mayfly or... 

If you’re the person that calls them Gnats you are correct. Wait, if there is a difference how is that correct?  Well because the most interesting thing I came across in my research is that a Gnat is actually a generic term- any of many species of tiny flying insects.

Starting with Black flies, they will lay their eggs in running water and feed mostly on nectar with the exception of the females that will feed on blood.  The blood is needed for protein to aid in egg laying. 

Mayflies are aquatic insects whose immature stage usually lasts one year in fresh water but have the shortest adult life of no more than a day. They feed off of algae and diatoms. Their final stage of life is a fish favorite, often being copied for fly fishing lures. 

No-see-ums are the meanest of this group.  Also known as a Sandfly, They are blood suckers commonly found in wet and mountainous areas. They lay their eggs in dark moist places such as under bark, compost, mud, and even water holding plants. 

The similarities between these are they all require some kind of water or moisture to lay their eggs, have 4 stages of life (egg, larva, pupa, and adult), and are so small they all look the same. Oh and another similarity is the females thrive on blood.  This is what causes the irritation and itching.  When they bite you they inject a saliva into you that typically causes an allergic reaction.

I hope this helps you understand the little annoying flies that are most common from April to July. There is a difference, and when it comes to horses your most likely dealing with the black flies or no-see-ums.  Of course BugPellent products will help a great deal, but remember clean dry barns and areas around the barn help prevent the breeding of these flies. 

Happy Riding
Juli

Juli is a BugPellent guest blogger. Would you like to contribute to our blog? email info@bugpellent.com
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