Buffalo Gnats

[Kandibyte]

Does anyone know what to use to keep the gnats from biting my chickens?

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Found this on a site called Dirt Doctor:

Topic


Turkey Gnat
Common names: Black Fly, Buffalo Gnat, Turkey Gnat

Scientific name: Order Diptera, family Simuliidae, Simulium meridionale



Size: Larva--1/16" to 1/8", adult is about one-fourth the size of a house fly.

Identification: Eggs are shiny and creamy white, changing to black; aquatic larvae are light brown to black, cylindrical, twelve-segmented, with fan-shaped filamentous structures on the head. They attach to rocks with sucker devices on their rear end. Females lay up to 800 eggs on water surfaces or aquatic plants, logs, or rocks. Adults are stout-bodied small flies. Wings are broad and iridescent. Hump-backed, grayish with short antennae. Single pair of wings.

Biology and life cycle: Found in huge swarms in late spring and early summer where swiftly flowing streams provide aerated water for the larvae to develop. Larvae attach to the rocks and other objects, including vegetation and concrete structures. After several molts, the larvae spin a basketlike cocoon in which to pupate in the water. Adults emerge from T-shaped slits in the cocoon and float to the surface in gas bubbles.

Habitat: Larvae are found in running water feeding on microorganisms.

Feeding habits: Males and females feed on flower nectar. In addition, the females need blood, which they get from several birds and mammals. Larvae feed on small crustaceans, protozoa, algae, bacteria, and decaying organic matter. The fan-shaped structures on the head are for trapping food from the water.

Economic importance: Buffalo gnats will attack cattle, horses, mules, hogs, turkeys, chickens, sheep, dogs, ducks, cats, and wild animals.

Natural control: Biodiversity.

Organic control: Natural diatomaceous earth and plant oil products, herbal skin treatments for people. Vanilla sprays seem to be effective. See Appendix for formulas.

Insight: Certain species may be gray or yellow. Turkey gnats and similar species have caused severe problems for cattlemen along the Sulfur River in northeastern Texas and Arkansas. In 1990 the pest spread into East Texas. According to Extension entomologist James V. Robinson, turkey gnats have been responsible for large kills of backyard poultry flocks. They also bite people.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Newchickenmom&kids :

Organic control: Natural diatomaceous earth and plant oil products, herbal skin treatments for people. Vanilla sprays seem to be effective. See Appendix for formulas.

hmmm...vanilla chickens...

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

We don't have turkey gnats here just sand gnats ugh!!!!! They bite. nothing stops them. We don;t have a fly problem though For the first time we started using Fly Predators They are little flys you spread around your property and they kill all the flies All different kinds. With goats and horse as weel as chickens and geese we used to have flies of all kinds now nothing Its so nice to be able to go outside without those pesky flies.

 

[Oaknim]

Micki, where do you get this Fly Predator at? It sounds like a wonderful idea. All of my animals run together and the chickens scratch around in the horse manure, which helps keep down the fly pop, but there's still many many many MANY flies.

Thanks! ~ Oaknim

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

We get them through the company They have a wed site its Fly Predators .com They are great it takes a few minutes each month and our fly protection is done. I sprinkle them near the coop and on the horse manure pile and of course in the paddock. I can see a big difference this year I just wish they would kill the sand gnats. MIcki

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

If they say you can use people protection How about skin so soft. I have used that on small puppies to protect against fleas. Also I use a natural pest control I get from Ace Hardware its called Orange Guard I use that everywhere as it kills almost anything Its water based and safe around pets.

 

[freshH20]

put out 2 - 3 lbs of pure, organic, food grade diatomaceous earth and let them dust themselves. This will kill parasites, gnats, fleas, you name it.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Dang, can't get that song out of my head:

"Buffalo gnat won't you come out tonight, come out tonight, come out tonight?"


.....and dance by the light of the moooooOOOOn!!!