By Mike Roche
This column started out as a look at horse flies and deer flies, two insect pests that can turn an outside activity like walking or riding your bike into an unpleasant encounter with a biting insect.
To that end, this writer did some research and found that horse owners have invested considerable time and thought into these flies, whose name gives an indication of where they focus to find food. It turns out that only the females are equipped to bite and that bite is driven by the need for blood from mammals. The females have bites strong enough to puncture the skin of large animals. This allows them a way to obtain enough protein from blood to produce eggs.
The mouths of females are formed into a stabbing organ with two pairs of sharp cutting blades, and a sponge-like part used to lap up the blood from the wound. The adults are often large and good fliers. Only females bite land vertebrates, including humans, to obtain blood. They prefer to fly in sunlight, avoiding dark and shady areas, and tend to be inactive outside of daylight hours. Bottom of Form
Deer flies are smaller when compared to horse flies and have dark bands across their wings and colorful eyes.
Compared to other insect bites, a horse fly sting can be quite painful, and the healing process may be prolonged. You can tell horse fly bites by the pain and welts they leave behind. A horse fly sting will hurt because, unlike many other insects, it does not release an anesthetic when it bites. The fly’s mouths are like the teeth on a saw, and instead of making a small hole, they cut. Bite victims typically experience localized swelling and welting.
We all agree that biting flies like horse flies and deer flies are a bother. There are a lot of remedies and horse owners try to keep the stables clean, as horse manure is a favored environment for the flies. For homeowners, bug zappers that work by putting out UV light that bugs are attracted to can help. Once the bugs are in the middle of the device, they are usually struck by the electricity between two metal grids.
You can find a host of devices promoted to help eliminate horse flies. The bug zapper is most useful and effective when left on continuously. An alternative is to use an insect zapper from nightfall until morning. It has been said that a bug zapper is the best gift you can give a neighbor, as the bugs will be attracted to their property. Just sayin’.
For my money, the best way to deal with horse flies is a product called DEERFLY Patches. They have adhesive on both sides, and you attach them to your hat. Since the flies tend to attack the highest point first, they land and are stuck. My experience is that they almost eliminate getting bitten and you don’t have to spend your entire walk swinging your arms at flies.
Wearing light colors will also help because horse flies use the difference between dark and light to find their victims.
Now on to bears. Tuesday at 5 a.m. my phone buzzed indicating that the Ring system installed at my home in Orange had detected movement near the driveway. Turned out a black bear was busy lapping the sugar nectar out of the hummingbird feeder. There was nothing that jumping out of bed for the 10-minute ride to Orange from the pond would likely accomplish so we waited a bit before heading to town. The feeder was still standing with the feeding flowers knocked off and the liquid consumed by the bruin.
Then, my eye caught sight of the nearby bluebird nest box, which was now, post and all, on the ground in pieces. The bear had knocked it down, demolished it and eaten the hatchlings! That was a huge disappointment, as considerable time and effort had been invested in creating an attractive next box for bluebirds and the obvious nesting activity had been a source of pride and we were looking forward to seeing the young birds emerge.
Mother Nature can be cruel, but as you read this, some wild creature is eating another because that is how the wild world works. The responsible parties might really be the people who have encouraged, instead of discouraged, bears and taught them that human habitation is a source of food and not to be feared.
Those who waited until the last minute to apply for their Massachusetts Antlerless Deer Permit (ADP) online have not been happy with the delay and extra steps required to access the MassFishHunt site at MassWildlife’s web site. A new vendor began servicing the program earlier this year and that, combined with the State of Massachusetts requiring everyone who interacts with Massachusetts government to have MassGov ID, created a major change in the process as deer hunters looked to apply for doe permits in advance of the July 16 deadline.
Those of us who purchased our sporting or hunting license before the change and applied at that time avoided the new requirement for now, but everyone will need a MassGov ID to access any Massachusetts website for any purpose going forward.
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.