Are biting flies territorial?

Beltzington · May 15, 2016

This may be old news for many but last week it dawned on me I was only being bothered by biting flies in very specific areas. Walking along side my pond there are only two small areas where they try and bite. Anyone know why they stick to these areas and can they be killed or encouraged to find other areas? There is no live stock anywhere close so I am unsure what they feed on, maybe an occasional deer.

Not sure the exact species but they are a bit larger than a house fly but not the huge horse flies, I believe the locals call them yellow flies. I do know they inflict a very painful bite for there size. :thumbdown:

Stimw · May 15, 2016

Here they call them yellow flies or deer flies and they bite like a pit bull!
They only seem to be around the ditch where my property gate is.
They are one more reason why I HATE my DEAD Might Mule gate opener!
I have to get out of my PU to open or close the gate when coming or going.

oosik · May 16, 2016

Yes, around here we have deer flies and their bite is almost painless - I think their "spit" is a combination of Novocain & anti-coagulant - and the bite bleeds like a river. I have 15+ year old scars on my legs from their bites. And they can be found anywhere on my 80 acres - always ready to chomp on me.

Fortunately, around here, they are a late summer nuisance - so spring & early summer is a safe time.

jamekar · May 18, 2016

Yes, those are deerflies, and they are territorial. And they hunt by sight based on angular momentum/movement. And they attack from the top down. With those three facts, you can now begin a program to drastically reduce them from your property.

When we moved onto our property in 2010, the deerflies were so bad I could hardly work outside when they were in season. So, I had to search for a solution.

The solution is to get a product called Tanglefoot, a sticky, gooey substance. Research shows that the deerflies prefer the color blue. So, I got a hardhat that was blue and I put blue duct tape on top and coated the duct tape with Tanglefoot. Then I would start my chores outside, and the little #*$#@# would attack from the top and get stuck. Literally hundreds of them. After a week, I peel off the tape and put on new tape and Tanglefoot.

I also got some blue flower pots and did the same with Tanglefoot and put it on my vehicles and "trolled" up and down the driveway, catching hundreds in a few passes.

After many weeks of this, I seriously dented the population and have very little problems now. When they hatch in the summer, it usually is very little now, and I catch most of them this way.

It really works, if you don't mind looking a little strange with dead flies stuck to your hat for a short time.

This is not my idea. Google it. I got it from others, and it really works.

MacLawn · May 18, 2016

Belt, I'm also in Appling, and know the rascals all too well. I don't think these kind here are the same as deer flies, etc. I have noticed that they seem to keep to certain areas. Usually around water. They love to come in boats on the lake. But, really not so many of them. The one that bites me though, is one too many.