Farm & Ranch
[AgriLife Today] Agrilife Extension expert :Conditions right for black flies
By: Adam Russell
- By: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, [email protected]
- Contact: Sonja Swiger, 254-968-4144, [email protected]
STEPHENVILLE – Reports of black flies are increasing as recent rains created favorable conditions for the swarming, biting pest, according to Dr. Sonja Swiger, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist, Stephenville.
Black flies aren’t like run-of-the-mill house flies or other biting flies, such as horn or stable flies, Swiger said. They’re tiny, powerful blood-feeders who aren’t picky about their host. They attack humans as readily as domesticated animals and wildlife, and feed at various times throughout the day.
“They’re nasty biters,” she said. “They’ll attack anything with blood but they prefer animals.”
Swiger said she has received a higher number of calls about black flies this year and suspects spring rains have created perfect breeding grounds for the pest. A mild spring may have also provided better conditions for the temperature-dependent fly, which usually is active throughout the summer.
Black flies are especially problematic in northern and eastern Texas where water is plentiful, but the rains may expand their habitat, she said.
One recent case in East Texas involved the loss of more than a dozen adolescent chickens, according to the caller, Swiger said.
Black flies have been known to kill animals by sucking blood or suffocation from clogging or covering up airways, she said. The flies also carry diseases. Black flies’ flight patterns are dependent upon the wind, light, temperature and host availability.
Swiger said as with any pest it’s better to deal with black flies by addressing them before they reach adulthood, but the flies’ breeding habitat makes it difficult to kill eggs and larvae.
Eggs and larvae stick together in flowing water, such as creeks, attached to vegetation or rocks. Immature black flies can live in habitats ranging from trickling water to rivers.
Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis products, which are better known for controlling mosquitoes, can be used to kill black flies in the larval stage.
Black flies lay between 100-600 eggs, so one hatching could pose problems to a landowner because they grow together and move in swarms once they reach adulthood, she said. Several generations can reach adulthood each year.
“They’re not easy to find, but if you have a running creek nearby or have had a problem with them in the past you might see them again this year,” she said. “Target areas around vegetation and rocks in flowing water.”
Swiger said repellants with diethyl-meta-toluamide or DEET, are supposed to be effective against them but added that female black flies are determined feeders once they find a potential host. Permethrin can be applied to animals to repel and kill black flies, she said. Dabs of petroleum jelly around the sensitive areas of animals, such as the nose, ears and eyes, can prevent bites and the pest from congregating.
“The fact that they are fully aquatic and their habitat is flowing water can make them tricky to deal with but it might be worth looking,” she said.
For more information about black flies and other insects and pests, visit http://livestockvetento.tamu.edu.
-30-
Find more stories, photos, videos and audio at http://today.agrilife.org
By: Martha Crump
Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.
A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.
Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”
In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.
When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
Since their introduction to the U.S. in the early 1900s, Old World Bluestems such as King Ranch bluestem and Dahl bluestem have become established on farms and ranches from the Rio Grande to Nebraska. With such a wide range of adaptability, these species are subjected to a wide range of management, depending on location and the goals of the rancher.
Due to the aggressive nature of OWBs, producers in far South Texas have been trying to find a way to eradicate OWBs in their pastures. Texas AgriLife Extension bulletin “Introduced Bluestem Grasses: Management on Native Lands” describes several methods being used in the effort to rid pastures of OWBs. In 2016, one project involved using chemicals, plowing, mowing, reseeding, summer burning, and combinations of these practices.
To read the about the researchers findings and hear Tony’s take, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Watching our pastures over the years, I have noticed our forages quit growing when nighttime temperatures begin hitting that 45-degree mark, and in North Texas, that will usually be around October 20.
While growth stops, our forages will still be high quality which allows our momma cows to gain weight for another 40 days or so.
Getting these cows in better condition is key to getting them through the winter and breeding after they calve.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
-
Country Lifestyles2 years agoScott & Stacey Schumacher: A Growth Mindset
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoStyle Your Profile – What your style cowboy hat says about you and new trends in 2017
-
HOME8 years agoGrazing North Texas – Wilman Lovegrass
-
Equine1 year agoThe Will to Win
-
Country Lifestyles5 years agoAmber Crawford, Breakaway Roper
-
Outdoor9 years agoButtercup or Primrose?
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoJune 2016 Profile – The man behind the mic: Bob Tallman
-
Country Lifestyles8 years agoDecember 2016 Profile, Rusty Riddle – The Riddle Way