You’re probably familiar with the “big four” of flies: face, horn, stable and house flies; these insects cost the livestock industry millions of dollars in profits every year from the pain and disease they cause. They certainly get a lot of discussion, and for good reason; but what about some of the other, less popular flies out there? Just because they don’t get a lot of press doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t learn what we can about them. With the help of Spalding Labs, I’ve put together a guide to three pest flies that frequently get overlooked when we talk about fly control: dung flies, black flies and cluster flies.
The nitty gritty on dung flies
There are a wide variety of dung flies, but the easiest to identify are yellow dung flies. They are about 3/8” long, bright yellow and hairy. They have long, thin legs with dark bristles on them and may resemble honey bees in appearance.
The dung fly gets its name because it breeds in the dung of sheep, horses, pigs and cattle. Some species, however, spend their larval state in rotting plant material; this results in high populations in the mud along shorelines and in decaying vegetation. If you disturb a fresh cow patty and see a host of tiny flies underneath, they are generally dung flies. The larva feed upon the waste while adults dine upon other flies when they come to feed on the dung.
Spalding Labs says that you can observe a swarm of males collecting on the cow patties soon after it is placed. When females arrive they are greeted by the males with a flurry of activity before mating begins. After mating the females then lay their eggs in the freshest dung, as older cowpats become crusty and inhospitable to egg laying.
Fly experts like Spalding Labs suggest that dung flies should be handled with care, as they are considered to be beneficial insects that don’t bother humans or livestock while they feed upon the larva of smaller pest flies.
The lowdown on black flies
Black flies are tiny- usually just about 1/8” long; they can be colored grey or black and are stout with short legs. The thorax is very convex and this gives the black fly a hunchbacked appearance, similar to that of a gnat.
According to Spalding Labs, black flies are a serious pest and they feed on blood in the same manner as a mosquito. They lacerate the skin of animals or humans and suck their blood. They favor the head, beneath the hat brim of humans, but can be found crawling around the top of your boots, inside of your shirtsleeves, or under your neck band or collar. They prefer the ears of horses and cattle and buzz around the area frequently during the beginning of warm weather.
Black fly populations are at their highest during the spring and early summer, where they can be found in great numbers close to streams and rivers. Fast moving waters are where they develop as larvae, making them a semi-aquatic pest. Spalding Labs recommends you use proper fly control methods to manage this pest, as black flies randomly attack humans, horses, cattle, birds, deer and other animals. They have also been known to transmit diseases.
Unlike mosquitoes, the black fly feeds during daylight hours. Peak attacks occur in midmorning during hot, sunny days and then decline until early evening when they peak again until dusk.
Controlling black flies can be an arduous task, and Spalding Labs suggests that the best way to avoid this pest is to avoid any areas you know contain fly infestations during their peak feeding hours.
The story behind cluster flies
The cluster fly looks a lot like a house fly, only larger. They can reach lengths of up to ½” long and have a yellow thorax. When the cluster fly is resting, it will often overlap its wings at their tips.
Cluster flies generally breed outside during the spring and summer, and their larva feeds upon earthworms. They can generally be found in areas where manure has been stored and are often seen in grassy locations where the soil is damp.
When large adult populations emerge in the early autumn they will seek a safe place to overwinter, usually inside a structure. The flies will then “cluster” in large amounts in high places or near windows. Frequently, they will climb inside walls or in the basements of houses. They may return to the same dwelling for years and can be particularly bothersome during the spring months when large amounts of them try to escape the house. Spalding Labs suggests that those who face an infestation of cluster flies consider using their vacuum to reach the small areas where groups of them congregate.
Spalding Labs is a sponsor of http://buckscrazyhorse.com/Spalding-Labs/
Say goodbye to smelly pet odors; adios to stinky laundry scents; sayōnara to funky bacterial aromas. Bye Bye Odor is here to make your life better (or at least make it smell better). With its powerful odor-killing microbes, it knocks bad odors out and leaves your home smelling pleasant again.
Spalding Labs’ Bye Bye Odor is an all-natural solution that’s been formulated especially to greatly minimize or completely eliminate a wide range of bad smells, particularly animal urine and manure. When the microbes inside of Bye Bye Odor get wet, they eat up and break down the organic particles that cause unpleasant odors, as well as ammonia build up that can result from the waste products of confined animals.
Other odor products mask smells for a short period of time with perfumes or powders that do nothing to remove the scent. Spalding Labs’ Bye Bye Odor actually removes the root cause of smells. This means that you don’t have to keep reapplying perfumes to hide the stench. It also means that animals are no longer attracted back to the scent of urine or feces with the desire to mark the soiled area.
There is almost no end to the number of smells Bye Bye Odor can remove. It can be used to remove pet odors when you’re housebreaking a new puppy, or to get rid of old animal scents that were left behind by previous animals. It’s effective in the garage, where mildew can become a problem and it’s just as useful in the kitchen. Spray a little inside of your trash can and you’ll be amazed at how Spalding Labs’ Bye Bye Odor refreshes the whole room. You can use it in closets that have been closed up for long periods of time to remove that musty scent that permeates everything inside. Anyone that owns a cat knows that it only takes a day or two of old litter before the smell of ammonia starts to permeate your home. Spray your litter box down whenever you change it and you’ll be able to breathe freely around the litter pan once again.
One of my favorite uses of Bye Bye Odor is in the RV. It’s safe to use in the grey and black tank of your recreational vehicle and I like to spray some down the tank and around the hoses after flushing the system and as a winterization step. It not only works better than the chemicals I used to use, it’s safer on the tanks too. If you have an RV then you know there’s nothing worse than pulling it out of storage and going for your first trip of the season and finding a problem in your black tank.
Compounds that are similar to Bye Bye Odor have been used for years to break odors down and remove them effectively. They are some of the most common ingredients found in quality stain removers and household carpet cleaners, as well as commercially available odor removal products. They’ve been used for decades because the compounds are powerful while still being completely safe for use around humans and animals. While other products contain the same ingredients, the concentration of odor-eliminating microbes that are found in Spalding Labs’ Bye Bye Odor is much higher than those found in other products that are available on the market.
Still not convinced? Spalding Labs website contains testimonials from customers who are not only satisfied, but downright astounded at how well Bye Bye Odor works. It works in the home, in the yard, and even on clothing according to one lady who was mortified to notice cat odor on her sweater while at work. Luckily, she had a sample of Bye Bye Odor to completely remove the odor. And while Bye Bye Odor is almost always safe to use on fabrics without discoloring or staining materials, you should always test it on an inconspicuous area before applying it to your clothing.
For over 3 decades, the Spalding Labs family has been proud to put their name behind their famous Fly Predators and other high-quality pest control products. The addition of Bye Bye Odor to their lineup solidifies their place as the leader in biological control methods for the home and in the barn. Spalding Labs makes it easy to remove obnoxious odors from your life through their convenient website or by calling their 800 number to be helped by one of their qualified assistants. Try Bye Bye Odor today; at only $19.95 for 2 ½ gallons, the only thing you have to lose is bad odors.
Spalding Labs is a sponsor of http://buckscrazyhorse.com/Spalding-Labs/
The most frequent cause of equine laminitis is carbohydrate overload. This means the horse’s digestive tract is attempting to process a sudden or excessive surge in grains, high sugar horse feeds or grasses containing a high sugar load. This spurs an upswing in bacteria levels and throws the horse’s PH out of whack, triggering an onslaught of toxins into the animal’s blood stream. This ultimately inhibits circulation and blood flow to the horse’s hooves, which can trigger laminitis. Laminitis is one of the most serious horse health issues an owner can face. Knowing how to prevent it can be critical to your horse’s welfare.
While improper horse nutrition is the reason behind most laminitis, there are other catalysts. Barbaro, the revered winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby, shattered his leg during a career ending run at the Preakness. As happens with many horses that cannot put weight on a leg for long periods, Barbaro ultimately fell prey to laminitis. Horses are designed to place about sixty percent of their weight onto their front legs. Since they don’t have the luxury of lying down for long periods of time, in the wild, they’re designed to spend most of their time standing, even when injured. Increasing the load by trying to shift it off an injured limb inhibits circulation in the healthy feet. This additional stress inflames the hoof’s laminae and ultimately, you’ve got a laminitis problem. Horses with laminitis who are left untreated can develop a crippling condition known as founder. By comprehending and adjusting your equine feed selections, you can significantly improve your horse’s likelihood of evading laminitis. Start by avoiding pasturelands with rich grasses. Highly sugared grasses crop up in the Spring and Autumn. It’s their high-soluble carbohydrate ratio that can trigger the kind of attack that leads to laminitis. And, make it a habit to lock tack rooms and feed-bins where specialty feeds, grains and
horse treats are housed, securely.
Given the opportunity, there are very few horses that won’t stuff themselves on tasty, sweet feeds. And, it takes only one episode of a horse finding its way into the grain room for disaster to strike. Also, big on the list of things to regulate, is your horse’s water. Never let your horse’s water get too hot or too cold. Horses will avoid extreme temperatures for as long as possible and then, compelled by extreme thirst; suddenly gulp down gallons of excessively hot or cold water. Both equine colic and laminitis can be caused by this, so, eliminating the risk should be top priority.
With horse weight, the line between looking good and being a butterball can be pretty fine. But, in the war on laminitis, it’s important that your horse never become obese. Should your horse start looking chubby, consult with your veterinarian about the best combination of horse supplements, horse grain and hay to get your horse’s weight down. Create a plan based on the horse products your vet recommends and stay on-track.
Diarrhea in horses, metritis (a condition where the uterine lining becomes inflamed,) and peritonitis (where the thin tissue lining the abdominal walls becomes irritated or inflamed,) can stimulate the release of toxins into a horse’s bloodstream, setting the stage for laminitis. Get your vet on the phone ASAP should any of these conditions, surface.
Cart & driving horses are especially susceptible to laminitis brought on by excessive surface shock. If you have to take your horse on hard trails or pavement, don’t go faster than the walk and discuss specialty pads with your shoer. And, never let your horse’s feet grow overly long. Long hooves can trigger laminitis, due to the increased angle and pressure.
Last, but not least, stress can be a precursor to equine laminitis. Never tolerate a barn where the grooms or trainers are unkind or unnecessarily macho with your horse. Horses are sensitive beings.
When considering the great variety of horse feed products available, you must do your homework to insure that the horse feeds you select are appropriate to your horse’s nutritional needs. Discuss
horse nutrition with your horse vet and review the feeds you’re considering with him/her as well. Ask about horse supplement products as well as equine feed solutions. When it comes to horse health, it pays to be extremely thorough.
Proper Diet & Feed Routine For Horses Dealing With Laminitis.
A common misconception about dealing with the feed for horses that have laminitis is that they should be starved. This is an old wives tale. Horses with laminitis should be fed strategic ratios of high fiber feeds along with vitamins and minerals. Adding Alfalfa Hay or Straw Chaff to a horse’s basic hay feed can help keep calcium levels at proper levels.
Low carbohydrate, high fiber diets balanced with equine supplements should be given to all horses, whether they’re competing or recuperating. Specialty supplements like senior horse feed are currently growing in popularity, given the special dietary needs of many older horses. Don’t try to research your way into configuring your horse’s diet, depend on your horse vet for the best advice, down to the horse treats you pick out for your horse. Feeding horses a healthy diet can be incredibly overwhelming, given the wide variety of specialty feeds and supplements for horses available on the market. Every single brand seems to make a persuasive argument for why it’s the best.
For superior fly prevention, Spalding Labs once again delivers upon their promise to be the best in the business. Flies cost the dairy industry millions of dollars in lost profits every year; the biggest money thieves being the Horn, Face, and Stable Fly.
Horn Flies
The adult Horn Fly is thin and measures about 3/16”. This is about half the size of a House Fly. They’re grayish in color and have a long proboscis that is used by the female of the species to take a blood meal from her cattle host.
Although they are fondest of pasteurized cattle, Horn Flies can also attack any farm animal or pet. They generally spend their entire life cycle living on an animal and are usually found on the back and shoulders of their victim. If the weather is particularly hot, they will sometimes relocate to underneath the host’s belly to get relief from the elements. Both males and females bite their victims 20-40 times a day.
Spalding Labs research indicates that Horn Fly populations in excess of 200 per animal can cause lower weight gains and reduced milk production. Furthermore, an animal that’s plagued by Horn Flies can hurt themselves or other animals trying to escape them. Spalding Labs Fly Predators are effective against Horn Flies, but they have to be distributed near manure and at 1.5 times the normal application rate per animal.
Face Flies
The Face Fly is smaller than the Horn Fly, only about ¼” long. They appear to look like a small house fly and are frequently greyish-brown in color. Face Flies pester cattle during hot months and enjoy feeding on the secretions that cows excrete from their eyes, mouths, and nostrils. This can lead to cattle injuring themselves and others as they try to escape these fly pests. In addition to being a nuisance, the Face Fly can also transmit pinkeye and other eye diseases.
Spalding Labs reports that Face Flies are now resistant to many of the pesticides that have been overzealously used in the past to control these bugs. For this reason, it is suggested that you use a different method of fly control besides insecticides to manage Face Fly populations. One method is to keep your animals inside a dark barn during the summer months, as Face Flies don’t enter darkened areas very frequently.
Stable Flies
Probably the costliest of the flies, the Biting Stable Fly is about 3/16”-5/16” long and are easily identifiable by the checkerboard markings on the topside of their abdomens. Both male and female Stable Flies feed upon warm-blooded animals, including cattle, horses, and even humans!
These flies can travel far away and are frequently picked up by weather fronts and carried for hundreds of miles. This explains how an area with no Stable Flies can become infested virtually overnight.
The best method of treatment for pasture areas that are filled with Biting Stable Flies is to use Spalding Labs Biting Stable Fly Trap or Spalding Labs Fly Predators. The Traps will remove adult Stable Flies from the area while their patented Fly Predator system works hard to keep Stable Flies from ever leaving their cocoon state.
Introducing Spalding Labs new Cow-Vac
This ingenious new product is designed to be placed on the path to your milking parlor. As cattle walk by the Spalding Labs vacuum system blows Horn, Face, and Stable flies right off your cow’s face, flanks, belly, back, and legs and into a removal bag for easy disposal. Those nasty bugs can then be ground up and made into a good fertilizer (which, in my opinion, is one of the few things flies are good for).
Spalding Labs Cow-Vac is recommended by Guy Jodarski, DVM, Staff Veterinarian at CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley, who had this to say, “The horn fly is one of the most serious cattle pests in the US, with economic losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars per year.” Dr. Jodarski further stated,” Canadian studies indicate that when horn flies are left uncontrolled in dairy cattle, milk production may be reduced by as much as 20%. This new technology will allow organic dairy producers to enjoy tremendous results from their pasture fly control efforts.”
There’s no doubt that pest flies cause untold misery to cattle as well as your bottom line. With products like these, there’s no point in suffering from fly infestations another minute. Your cows will thank you!
Spalding Labs is a sponsor of http://buckscrazyhorse.com/Spalding-Labs/
Have you tried Mosquito Torpedoes yet? If not, let me tell you a little about these modern miracles. They come from a company called Spalding Labs and they’re a unique and amazing new method of mosquito control that I can’t live without.
In a nutshell, they work like this: Mosquito Torpedoes are filled with a chemical called S-Methoprene. This is an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) that prevents mosquito larvae from becoming adults. It’s a great mosquito control because mosquitoes don’t bite until they’re grown up. 95% of the larvae that are treated with Mosquito Torpedoes never become adults. That’s pretty amazing, huh? While Spalding Labs is famous for their fly parasites, these torpedoes seem to be a pretty good fit. It appears that they are continuing with their habit of delivering unobtrusive products that are easy to use and effective against the specific pest that they’re designed to control. Mosquito Torpedoes are designed to work specifically on mosquitoes; they can’t harm any animals with a spine like fish, birds, amphibians, and other mammals. In the U.S. they’re approved for use in animal stock tanks. Abroad they’re used in drinking water, particularly in tropical locales where mosquitoes are abundant and carry a variety of deadly diseases like malaria. Mosquito and fly control are crucial in these areas to stay alive, so if they’re good enough to use there then Spalding Labs Torpedoes are good enough to use in my little pond.
One little Mosquito Torpedo is all you need to protect a body of water that’s approximately 100 square feet, 2 feet deep (about 1500 gallons) for up to two months. For larger areas just add 2 or more of Spalding Labs Mosquito Torpedoes every 2 months. That’s it! You don’t have to measure or calculate. There’s nothing messy or time consuming about this product. Because mosquitoes lay their eggs in even small amounts of water, you can place the Torpedoes anywhere they frequent: in a horse trough, bird baths, small ponds, or any other area that collects water. Smaller areas like these are frequently treated for an entire summer with only one Torpedo. You can actually watch them get smaller as the S-Methoprene releases. This means that as long as you can see the Mosquito Torpedo it’s still working and protecting your animals and your family with the natural mosquito repellent they need to protect them all summer long.
Mosquito Torpedoes are superior methods of pest control and work better than other solutions like mosquito eaters and dunks.
The problem with mosquito eaters is that there are so few insects that prey upon mosquito larvae and even fewer that eat enough larvae to be an effective method of biological control. The Torpedoes effectiveness rate of 95% is vastly superior to the amount of bugs killed by natural predators.
As far as dunks go, they’re more effective than predators, but Spalding Labs Torpedoes still have a couple of major advantages. The first is that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved Mosquito Torpedoes for use in animal drinking water. This is a really good thing, because the last thing you want in your livestock’s drinking water is mosquito larvae. Because they’re safe for animals to drink, you can be assured of effective mosquito control that’s not going to harm your livestock. Another problem with mosquito dunks is that they float on the surface of water, which leads to them being eaten by animals. This can get kind of expensive if you have to keep reapplying them every time your horse decides to eat a mosquito dunk as a treat. Spalding Labs Torpedoes sink to the bottom of water tanks, so you never have to worry about cloudy water or having particles float on the surface of the water. Bti dunks are well known for causing this problem.
Companies like the Department of Defense (DOD), FEMA, and the County Mosquito Abatement Districts use Mosquito Torpedoes to protect our communities against mosquito infestations, so you know they’re effective. Unfortunately, they’re not widely available through retail distributors. Therefore, for proper control of pest mosquitoes it’s best for you to inventory the water bodies and receptacles on your property and then contact Spalding Labs to let them know how many Torpedoes you need to keep your land mosquito-free this summer. You may want to let your neighbors know about Spalding Labs Mosquito Torpedoes too, because mosquito control should be a community project. You don’t want to have to worry about mosquitoes from your neighbors’ yards flying into yours.
Insect control is going to be very important this year, as the experts are predicting that this is going to be a very “buggy” summer because of the mild winter we had last year. Therefore, it is in everyone’s best interests to get started on mosquito and fly prevention now with Spalding Labs before their populations explode and cause a real problem later.
Spalding Labs is a sponsor of http://buckscrazyhorse.com/
Protecting your outdoor dogs from flies this summer is simple if you keep in mind that the most important thing you can do is to practice good general hygiene around your kennels. Spalding Labs has a few tips designed to make your summer as fly-free as possible.
General sanitation principles
Overall cleanliness is the easiest and most productive way to control flies in your yard. Whether you have a backyard dog, or a large kennel, sanitation is the key to effective pest management.
Keep trash areas as clean as possible. Garbage cans that have tight lids and plastic bags lining them are the best way to store waste. Using a secure plastic bag reduces odors, which attract flies. Locate garbage cans as far away as possible from buildings. Dispose of manure and garbage on a weekly basis (or more frequently).
Practice proper waste management. Wash down areas that collect feces, keeping in mind Spalding-Labs “7 day rule.” It takes a House Fly 8 days to emerge, so remove all waste products within a week to minimize fly populations. Of course, daily removal of waste is preferred, but if you remove the pupae within the 7 day window, there will be a marked improvement in fly populations at your kennel. Try to get manure and other wet matter dry within 5 days, if possible. Remember, flies love moisture.
According to the people at Spalding Labs, “Food is another area to attend to if you want to reduce fly numbers on your property. Flies adore rotting mulch and vegetation, so prevent these items from piling up.” Fallen, fermenting, or over-ripe fruits should not be allowed to gather on the ground. Canned food is another area that flies like to lay eggs. Moist food that is left over a weekend can accumulate hundreds of fly eggs, which is extremely unhealthy for animals to consume.
Animal carcasses need to be disposed of as quickly as possible, even more so during hot summer months. A small animal carcass can produce over a thousand Blow Flies if it is left at the side of the road. Even if the body is far away from your kennel, flies can still be an issue to your dogs as Spalding Labs reminds you that flies can travel up to ¼ mile.
Weed control is another consideration that many people look over. As unusual as it seems, flies enjoy resting and getting out of the heat as much as we do. Tall grasses and weeds are perfect “vacation spots” for House Flies, so remove weeds and keep grasses mowed to encourage them to seek other accommodations.
Fly management for every dog
If you have only one or two dogs that are kept in a backyard, the key to proper sanitation is to clean up droppings as frequently as possible, remembering to do so no less than once a week. Dispose of feces in a sealed garbage container to keep out flies. If you have neighbors with a fly problem, you may wish to use Spalding Labs Fly Predators to keep your property fly-free. Releasing Predators along the fence line will probably be sufficient if the neighboring animals are nearby.
Kennel situations that involve more dogs obviously require a little more work. Kennels located on top of dirt need to have manure collected and composted on a regular basis. If composting is not possible or desired, then keep it in a sealed container with a liner. Compost piles don’t generally have a pest breeding problem if they are properly constructed, but they should still be kept as far away from your house and kennel as possible. Place Spalding-Labs Fly Predators in areas where waste collects as well as near the compost pile, if you use one.
Kennels that are built upon concrete should have pens and runs washed down daily. Sewer wash should keep fly breeding to a minimum, but if the water goes into a drainage area, you may need to place more Fly Predators near the area to control fly populations. The majority of Predators should go around drainage areas, manure piles, and any other areas on dirt that your dogs access regularly.
As you can see: sanitation and Spalding Labs Fly Predators are the key to keeping fly numbers down this summer. You can attain a nearly fly-free kennel this year if you remember to clean soiled areas at least once a week, keep weeds and tall grasses under control, and properly manage any food items that draw flies. Fly Predators can take care of the rest of the job by releasing beneficial insects to feed upon fly pupae, and thereby preventing adult flies from forming. Here’s to a great fly-free summer and happy dogs with Spalding Labs by your side!
Spalding Labs is a sponsor of buckscrazyhorse.com/Spalding-Labs.
It doesn’t take long to figure out that ponies are for girls and horsepower is for boys. At least, that’s the way things used to be. But, behold, the times, they are a changing. Forget all the chitchat about Ipads and Angry Birds, THE hot new social renaissance involves a passionate group of geeky, tech-savvy guys and gals, who happen to love the new television series currently featured on Horse Programs like Hubworld: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.”
With websites dedicated to the noble pony pals like Equestria Daily, fans are encouraged to wax rhapsodic about the ponies, their mystical surroundings, friends, alliances and adventures. So, why are a group of guys drawn to an online cartoon that was meant to target 6+ year old girls?
According to several online reports, the combination of beautiful drawings, intriguing story lines and complicated characters makes for truly compelling story telling. Well, we were keen to get our own take on the ponies appeal, so we dove right into a few episodes on Hubworld.
The first thing you’ll notice when watching “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,” is the caliber of production values. Every scene is deliciously designed in candy colored hues, with utterly adorable, hand drawn style ponies, animated in a visually entrancing manner. And, these ponies have incredible story lines. Remarkably upbeat and witty dialogue combined with charming pony performances, make the latest generation of My Little Pony episodes truly not to be missed.
Each episode, we find the ponies proving their honor as they deal with major challenges. Successfully confronting an infestation of adorable but ravenous insects known as Parasprites is a big fan favorite. Upon successfully dealing with invaders and challengers such as these, they meet with the Princess Celestia to review strategies and lessons learned. Pony reconnaissance, such as it is. So, perhaps that’s part of the appeal. These ponies are both magical and involved in friendly police actions on behalf of the crown. And, even though it’s fairy tale fiction, what’s really interesting is the way the writers have managed to merge real world equine issues such as fly prevention with mystical storytelling. So, there is truly something for everyone from the true pony enthusiast to the person who’s never even met a pony. (One thing to be said about fantasy toy ponies, . . . except for the toy horse cookies and bales of hay, there’s no horse feed bill.)
Now, the thing that makes this tiny phenomenon particularly fascinating is that it’s actually news worthy. We’ve always been proponents of the idea that both boys, girls, men and women should love and enjoy ponies and horses. Yet, except for certain niches like rodeo riding and horse racing, most horses are loved and/or owned by women. Why? Because you can’t build a potentially explosive nitro burning funny horse that goes 250 miles an hour, that’s why. And, you can’t pop a horse into a toy hauler, race out to the dunes and surf the sand with it. Horses and ponies are primarily girl toys, so, in the popular conscience, horses and especially ponies, have become synonymous with the female psyche.
So, the fact that a product, designed to target women, is somehow of interest to men, this is a quandary for some people. We had to ask the question, “why?”
Why Do Increasing Numbers Of Real Men Love “My Little Ponies?”
One of the overwhelming concerns may be that enjoying, “My Little Pony,” products means that a man might be gay. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!) According to BroNYCon’s organizer, Jessica Blank, “Actually, the overwhelming majority are straight.” BroNYCon was created by My Little Pony fans called Bronies—a mash-up of “bro” and “ponies.” There is some debate as to whether the term Bronie applies both to men and women or just men. According to sources, some women prefer to be known as, “Pegasisters.” This group has been the catalyst for other pony-inspired sites and is spearheading a new subculture of artists who enjoy expressing themselves through the My Little Pony fanstyle.
One of the things that we noticed immediately was how adorable the “My Little Pony” horse games, are. You can dress up a pony, create a castle for her, etc. My only complaint is that none of this stuff was around when we were kids. Our ponies had to walk uphill to school, both ways, in the snow, and hunt for their own horse feed, when we were children. Today, ponies are available through a computer, phone or idevice, near you, 24/7!
At the end of the day, whether it’s watching young riders get packed around a 1 1/2 foot high course by real life, tiny pony hunters or an animated series replete with fantasy ponies, absolutely nothing on the planet thrills us like ponies. They are the chocolate bon bons of the horse world. And, if a select group of red blooded young men want to join in the fun, we say, welcome aboard!
Of course, for all you red blooded males who want to help around the barn, there’s always plenty of help needed, like spreading spalding labs fly predators around the property to keep the flies down.
From May to September, when it’s nice and warm, that’s the time for outdoor fun. Sports, riding, picnics, what-have-you. However, the outdoors and warm weather are associated with one of the most trying and, potentially dangerous nuisances known to humanity. Mosquitoes. Oh sure, there are mosquito traps and repellents available, but, what about our poor companion animals & pets? Cats, dogs, horses, livestock, they’re all plagued by mosquito bites and they can’t throw up a wall of screen doors or slather on the mosquito repellent to keep them at bay.
Consider people who dream of living in the United States, where our local municipalities consistently enforce rigorous mosquito control measures. Without these professional exterminators, mosquito populations could easily explode. Consider that outside the U.S., malaria transmitting mosquitoes kill upwards of three million people per year, while infecting another two hundred million annually. 10′s of millions more are left debilitated by a bevy of mosquito borne illnesses, namely encephalitis, filariasis and dengue and yellow fever. In fact, diseases spread by mosquitoes are responsible for ending more human lives than all the known, recorded wars throughout history .Often, when confronted with a mosquito outbreak, a mosquito net or toxic insecticide is the only thing standing between someone and an excruciating demise.
In the U.S., West Nile Virus remains a serious concern as we have yet to develop a vaccine against it to protect humans, cats or dogs. Horses are fortunate in that a vaccine has been already been developed for them.
Even without the risk of deadly infections, mosquito bites are unbelievably irritating and sometimes, downright painful. Who needs the annoyance? So, understanding what attracts and drives mosquito reproduction can give you an unbelievable edge in the do it yourself pest control, department. Believe it or not, mosquitoes require fairly exacting specifications to breed successfully. First off, you’ve got to identify and wipe-out all surrounding elements conducive to mosquito reproduction. Truly understanding pest control products and maintaining disciplined mosquito fighting routines can do a great deal in helping you win the war against mosquitoes.
There are two basic categories of Mosquitoes within the U.S., of which there are hundreds of individual mosquito species. Semi Permanent Mosquitoes seek out long-term water bodies such as marches, ponds and stock tanks. The second group, Floodwater Mosquitoes, require nothing more than an convenient water container to reproduce. Any ditch, water bucket or puddle lasting more than three days can continue the cycle of life for a female mosquito looking for somewhere to leave her eggs. Though, 3 days at eighty to ninety degrees is necessary for the evolution from larvae to adult.
It’s not tough to identify which kind of Mosquito you’re being victimized by. Daytime bites usually mean Floodwater mosquitoes are breeding in nearby, unrestrained, temporary water sources. Alternately, Semi-Permanent Mosquitoes tend to be the issue when the bites occur during early morning or at sunset. These pests are usually breeding nearby, in standing waters such as ponds and lakes. Distance is not an obstacle for Floodwater Mosquitoes, renowned for riding the breeze while they wait for a CO2 trail to draw them to a blood meal. Their far less adventurous relative, the Semi Permanent Mosquito is inclined to stay within a 1/4 radius of home base. As soon as you’ve isolated the type of mosquito issue you’ve got, you’re ready to start your mosquito intervention.
Successful mosquito elimination starts with the elimination of all nearby standing waters. And, you’ll have to repeat the process every 3 days. If this is too much bother, consider using a larvicide such as S-Methoprene or or Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Once ingested, this bacteria strain penetrates the mosquito larvae’s gut and kills it. And, because it is harmless to vertebrates such as mammals, birds, fish & amphibians, you need never worry about safety.
Consider also using Mosquito Eating Fish and attracting Blue Birds to your property. A Mosquito eating fish can gobble up 100-500 mosquito larvae a day and Blue Birds are renowned mosquito eater birds. Both these organic exterminators can do a great deal of the work required to suppress mosquito populations.
Continue cleaning up, making sure no buckets, containers, drinking troughs that are not currently being used or any other errant water catching devices are not left out and about. It takes only a few ounces of liquid for a mosquito to lay her eggs and successfully generate new offspring. A focused sweep of your home and property should help you identify broken pipes, leaking hoses, faucets or any other sources of non-draining water collection that must be addressed. Many people take the additional step of purchasing a heavy duty trailer, dump trailer or landscape trailer to maintain their property. Afterward, buy enough heavy duty fans to keep the air currents circulating aggressively everywhere on the property, that’s possible. Mosquitoes have a strong dislike for wind speeds over seven MPH and enough well placed fans should successfully send them on their way.
Proper yard and field maintenance is another important component in fighting mosquitoes. The pests regularly rest on tall grasses whenever the sun is hottest, so a well trimmed yard and field gives them fewer places to hide. Don’t forget to scrutinize your ponds or lakes for shoreline grasses and keep those to a minimum. Mosquitoes prefer the grasses growing in water, that are nearest to the shoreline.
If you’ve been flood irrigating your fields, consider cutting the amount of water use by approximately 1/3. Flood irrigation often creates superficial water pools that can take days to drain off, creating an ideal breeding ground for unwanted pests.
Consider investing in proper drainage methods for your livestock’s drinking water & never dump dirty livestock water onto manure! Drinking troughs are a perfect for attacking mosquito larvae with S-Methoprene as it will kill the developing larvae while leaving your livestock completely unharmed.
Encourage your family and friends to use mosquito repellent and to wear light colored head gear and clothing to discourage mosquito bites. Light clothing acts as a natural mosquito repellent, given that mosquitoes associate blood meals with large dark objects.
Utilize these techniques and be prepared for some fairly impressive results. We encourage you to contact your local county mosquito control department for additional tips and tricks for mosquito control in your region.
If you’re like me, you’ve never seen such bizarro weather, not to mention the consequences. And that means the flies have never been worse. That’s why I want to talk about fly control measures utilizing Fly Predators, Fly Traps and Mosquito Torpedoes. But, let’s start with the basics.
Summer started late this year, after some of the worst rainy seasons on record. Out here in the Southwest, it’s been a virtual draught for three decades and then the last two years it’s been nothing but rain, rain, rain. When you combine this with irregular heating patterns you get fly infestations cropping up late, but, with a fury the likes of which most people have never seen before.
As one of the country’s preeminent pesticide free, fly control companies, Spalding Labs is reporting a dramatic uptick in the call for their Fly Predator and Fly Trap products. They’ve been a purveyor of Fly Predators for over 30 years, but, the fly trap products are actually something new. While people who use Spalding Lab fly predators are extremely successful at minimizing fly reproduction, they’re still often left to contend with visitor flies from neighboring farms, kennels and feed lots who may have not jumped on the Spalding Labs wagon. So, Spalding Labs elected to begin offering the most effective and targeted fly trap products they could get their hands on, knowing that they’d be getting the chance to educate their clients about the best ways to use them.
What most people don’t understand about fly traps, is that there are two very different types. They sticky kind that should be placed around your horses, dogs and places frequented by folks and the odor lures, which should be placed away from the community areas to help draw flies away. Spalding Labs has heard the familiar story of the hardware store clerk who inadvertently advises an innocent customer to place an odor lure fly trap inside their barn or kennel. The next thing the poor customer knows, their horses or dogs are under siege as flies from the four corners are drawn right into their facility. That’s why Spalding Labs is putting so much energy into making sure consumers are educated about how to use the right fly trap with the right fly species and situation.
To learn more about fly traps, fly predators and the basics on facility maintenance to minimize fly infestations, please visit the Spalding Labs website. You’ll find your time well spend and your fly infestation issues to be on their way to being contained.
Renowned for their Fly Elimination prowess within the integrated pest management space, Spalding Labs has been fighting flies through completely green strategies, for over 35 years. Now, in addition to helping folks deal with quashing the fly reproduction cycle, Spalding Labs has added fly traps to their selection of organic fly fighting strategies. Thousands of horse, cattle and dog kennel owners throughout America depend on Spalding-Labs for the suppression
of fly infestations by killing flies before they make it to maturity, with Fly Predator®. However, if they can’t persuade their neighbors to use Fly Predators, there’s always the issue of visitor flies. That’s why Spalding-Labs, after much due-diligence and research, has added fly traps.
Whether you live adjacent to a large equestrian center, a dairy farm or a dog breeder, visitor flies can truly spoil the ambience. Spalding-Lab‘s new fly traps are designed to work strategically to both draw flies away & catch flies on the most sensitive areas of your property.
In an ideal world, simply getting all your neighbors on board with their own Spalding-Labs, Fly Predator program would most likely do the job. But, not everyone is ready to try new things at the same time. Many livestock owners cling to old school remedies like homemade fly trap contraptions, insect repellents and potentially harmful pesticides. If your neighbors are reluctant to test Fly Predators for themselves, we suggest placing fly traps on the fence line dividing your properties. This should contribute significantly to helping stop flies before they can get to you. You’ll also want to place additional fly traps in strategic areas to help stop the flies who’ve made it over. It’s critical to understand which fly traps go where. If you visit the Spalding-Labs website, you’ll find comprehensive information on the distinctions been odor lure and sticky traps. There are also special traps for biting stable flies, a fly that looks like a big house fly, and actually bites.
Prior to adding fly traps to their arsenal of fly control products, Spalding Labs spent a great deal of time studying the fly trap market. They reviewed a number of critical, USDA sponsored studies as well as extensively testing the products, in-house.
With the variety of flying pests they needed to offer products against, particularly biting stable flies and house flies, Spalding-Labs realized that a wide variety of insect traps used in conjunction with their famed Fly Predator products, would supply the right marriage of reproductive counter warfare combined with attacking flies who had survived to maturity. Now, folks who take pro-active steps to limit fly infestations by spreading fly predators around right when the temperature hits 60 to 65, combined with utilizing strategically placed odor lures and sticky traps around their property to address visitor flies, are seeing tremendous relief from fly infestation problems.
For more helpful information, contract Spalding Labs at 1-888-562-5696 for help regarding your unique fly control situation.
