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