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Horseflies


Bob Cotsford
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I don't know what deters the little blighters, but I do know what attracts them.....ME!!!!

A few weeks ago I had one sat on my thumb as I was flying my DB Moth, now that was interesting as I shouted to others get the so and so thing off. The club members seemed to find it funny.

Roger

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Posted by Roger 2 on 23/07/2014 16:33:22:

I don't know what deters the little blighters, but I do know what attracts them.....ME!!!!

A few weeks ago I had one sat on my thumb as I was flying my DB Moth, now that was interesting as I shouted to others get the so and so thing off. The club members seemed to find it funny.

Roger

Does sound funny Roger.....

laugh

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We've tried sacrificing an airframe to the horsefly - it didn't work.

I picked up a spider bite at the weekend, most likely on the slope - quite a distinctive and very itchy bite, with two little fand marks a couple of millimetres apart. No red ring though, or any other symptoms - at least yet.

Unless it was something to do with getting bitten by the slope soaring bug - that has definitely had symptoms of restlessness and absent mindedness, thinking - " I could be up on that hill right now...."

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Had my bug spray on, but got hit by the little blighter 20 seconds from having my leg out the truck. Got two on the other leg as well which look just as angry.

Ordered some of the Avon stuff to give it a try, if that doesn't work it looks like no more shorts down the field. Never been bitten if the 4 years I've been flying there, the horsefly was on my leg for a fraction of a second. Puts me off flying as I've only just healed up from the last bites I got a month ago.

Simon

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I know how you feel Simon, the other week bite #4 was enough to make me pack up and call it a day.

Last weekend was bite free after using a combination of:

Jungle Fever spray

A citrus based spray

A Greek spray bought at the RC Hotel - God alone knows what's in it but it tastes nasty!

Marmite on toast for breakfastcheeky

No horseflies but the blackfly from the farmers beans seemed not to care, if anything they seemed to like the mix.

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As a retired pharmacist I can tell you that many commercial forms of insect repellent use citronella oil (smell of citrus) as the base ingredient. In Devon midges are a pest in the early evening and I got some citronella oil from the pharmacy and then diluted it 50/50 with methylated spirit. You could also use surgical spirit and carry it in a small bottle. It really stinks but keeps flying bugs away. If alcohol based lotions affect you then get a tub of aquous cream from the pharmacy and add the citronella oil in the same proportions. DO NOT APPLY THE LOTION NEAR YOUR EYES

Edited By TigerOC on 29/07/2014 12:16:17

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Me too, lots of bites driving me mad at the moment. Is there any proof DEET works? I have extra strong jungle fever spray and virtually bathed in the stuff on the weekend but a massive so and so landed exactly where I'd just sprayed. Think it was having a bath in the stuff.

I think they smell it and so know where exactly to go and bite, it's the horsefly equivalent of a neon restaurant sign

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