How to Get Rid of Deer Flies Permanently

In this article, I’ll show you how to identify deer flies, how to get rid of deer fly infestations, and how to prevent future deer fly activity on your property.

 

Identification: What is a Deer Fly?

When attempting to get rid of any pest, the first step is to identify the problem. Carelessness in identifying the exact problem can lead to the wrong treatment methods, which can cost both time and money. Deer flies are among the larger flies, growing about eight millimetres long; their colors vary from yellow to tan-brown.

They have black stripes running across their thoraxes and black patterning along their abdomens. Female deer flies have scissor-like mouth parts that they use to feed. The female deer flies will bite and feed on the blood of the male deer flies. Deer flies feed on plants, nectar, and pollen.

 

What Do Deer Flies Look Like? Pictures

 

Horse fly vs deer fly: These flies are commonly mistaken for horseflies; they’re both in the same family and share similar characteristics, such as the females needing to feed on the blood of the male.

However, deer flies and horse flies are different pests that require different treatment approaches and must be identified properly. One way to distinguish deer flies from horse flies is to pay attention to their sizes, while deer flies are about eight millimetres in length.

Many horseflies grow to about double their size to 16 millimeters. Although some deer flies may grow smaller, another way to tell which between the two is to observe their wings. Deer flies have modeled wings with dark patches, while horseflies have clear wings.

 

Read also: How To Get Rid Of Flies In Your Car

 

Where Do I Find Deer Flies Infestation?

Once you have identified your target pest, check your property to confirm deer flies presence or their activities. Deer flies need water to breed and lay their eggs, so they like moist areas like swamps or the edges of water bodies like ponds and streams.

They can also be found in neighborhoods or suburbs near woods in wetland environments and in rural areas. They are also active in fields and pastures near water sources for livestock. Deer flies only feed during the day and are attracted to carbon dioxide.

Deer flies have difficulties seeing in the dark, so they typically won’t enter barns, stables, or other shaded areas. To tell if deer flies are targeting livestock or other animals, look for consistent tail and head-swishing motions. Deer flies can also leave behind red bumps or raised welts.

 

Read also: Lots of Flies In House Suddenly | Reason Behind This Mystery

 

How to Get Rid of Deer Flies

The next step is how to get rid of deer flies. The first thing is to ensure your grass is maintained at a proper height. At night, deer flies will rest on taller grass when there is no host to feed on. When grass becomes too tall, mow it and ensure it’s not more than one-third of the turf’s height.

Different grasses have different height requirements, but generally, grasses should be mowed to a height of three inches. Once your property’s grass has been addressed, you’ll need to apply some chemicals.

 

How to Get Rid of Deer Flies Using Chemicals

When applying chemicals, be sure to wear your personal protective equipment and remember to keep people and pets out of the treated areas until products settle completely.

1. Flex 1010:

This is a liquid insecticide concentrate that’s labeled to treat deer flies and many other insects. To control deer flies on your property, follow these steps:

• Apply this product as a space spray application. This will eliminate flying pests that are present during the time of treatment and create long-lasting residual control.
• For the mist or fog landings, you can use ULV fogging equipment like a misting system or a backpack fog sprayer for regular deer fly activity.
• You can create a 0.05 dilution by mixing 4 teaspoons of Flex 1010 for every one gallon of water; for severe infestations, you can mix 8 teaspoons of products per gallon of water to create a 0.1 percent dilution.
• After mixing, apply the mist and direct the spray toward the turf, horse barns, cow barns, stables, poultry houses, and other animal quarters.

Note: Do not apply this mist over grass used for grazing or over water, where food or feed is stored or prepared. Do not allow people or animals to enter the area until the mist has completely settled and dried.

 

2. Pyrid Aerosols:

To get rid of flying or resting deerflies indoors or outdoors, you can use a product like pyrid aerosols. Pyrid aerosol is an aerosol insecticide that’s great for knocking down flying insects. To apply this chemical, follow these steps:

• Apply as a space spray at a rate of 1-3 ounces of spray per 1,000 cubic feet.
• When deer flies are resting on leaf surfaces, spray the space above and allow the droplets on top of them.
• Do not spray in the direct vicinity of people or animals.
• Deer flies that make contact with the aerosol will be knocked down immediately.

 

3. Using UV Light Trap:

You can further the process of getting rid of deer flies by installing a UV flylight. This light trap uses UV bulbs that lure flies to its replaceable glue board. Installation is simple;

• Just set the trap to stand on its own or hang it on a wall where deer flies are active and plug it in.
• Replace the glue boards when they become full or after every 90 days.

 

Read also: How To Get Rid Of Cockroach Odor In Your House

 

Where to Buy Deer Flies Trap

You can buy your deer fly trap here for fast and free shipping on your order.

 

How to Prevent Deer Flies from Returning

To keep deer flies from returning to your property, prevention is important, as well as keeping pests in check to ensure they can’t reinfest. To stop deer flies, you’ll need to control their breeding and egg-laying sites.

• Prun away overgrown shrubbery and continue to maintain grass height to limit deer fly resting spots.
• Get rid of aquatic weeds around the edges of waterbodies with an aquatic herbicide like ecomazapyr 2 SL, This product can be used as a pre/post-emergent herbicide and can also control weeds that create a cover for deer flies.
• Mix and apply ecomazapyr 2 SL solution with a handheld pump sprayer as a spot treatment. Mix 0.72 to 1.4 fluid ounces of product into one gallon of water to treat up to 1,000 square feet of area.
• Use a fan or cone spray pattern to ensure the leaves are fully coated and spray weeds to the point of wetness but not run off.
• Be sure to spray on calm days when temperatures are not too hot and when wind speeds are low to minimize drift.
• Treat not more than one-half of the surface area of the water to avoid oxygen depletion.
• If deer flies have become a problem indoors, use exclusion methods to block off potential pest entry points.
• Fix all tears in window or door screens and ensure all windows indoors close properly.
• Cracks and crevices around your structures should be sealed with caulk or an expanding foam.
• Ensure all thin cracks and openings in the foundation around door and window frames and utility penetrations are tightly sealed.

 

Conclusion

Learning how to get rid of deer flies permanently is made easy with these professional pest control tips from Pestclue. However, with these professional tips and products mentioned in this article, you can stop deer flies from infesting your property and also prevent them from reinfesting your property.

Do well to subscribe to our website to keep up with the latest DIY (Do-It-Yourself) pest control tips and products.

About The Author