Horse Pest Control
Even though the cooler weather is around the corner and those annoying pests will be thinning out, it is an on-going issue to try and “control” insect invasions. Day after day, year after year they return and we can only try and minimize them as much as possible – there is no real prevention or cure!
Buzzing around trying to find a suitable place to set up home or to wreck assault on a host , insects are an area of concern and preparation for their arrival is vital for a safer and healthier property. Insect bites not only cause your horse itchy discomfort; their inflictions can produce areas on your equine where bacterial and fungal infections can occur. Certain hives outbreaks can be generated from the insect's harm and they can cause other health risks by spreading such diseases as West Nile virus, encephalomyelitis viruses and equine infectious anemia. Whether just an annoyance or a serious issue is created by such pests, action should be carried out to reduce their populations. Create a plan and follow through with ways to decrease insect habitats on your property and to be prepared for when they do arrive.
Reducing the attractions that lure in the insects is a good starting point for a pest control program. Proper sanitation on your property will diminish the total number of pests lingering around. Walk around your barn and yard looking for areas that insects find enticing and correct them. "Barnyard Cleanup" is an important part of any pest-control plan and requires an endless responsibility. Useful suggestions and information are always helpful when tackling a project and some have been gathered, sorted and listed below. One thing we can look forward to - autumn is just around the corner and with it comes cooler weather. This definitely controls the insect's venue and for those who live where this seasonal change occurs will find relief from the insect's threat until spring. Until then, sustaining your property in a manner that deters bothersome creatures will ease the havoc that can follow.
A Clean and Healthy Environment for You and Your Horse Awaits
More Info on Pest Control: ...
Barnyard Cleanup Tips:
TYPE: / BREEDING SPOTS: / FEEDING TIMES:
Black Flies / running water /morning and late afternoon
Deer Flies / water and vegetation / daytime
Horse Flies / shade and woody vegetation / morning and late afternoon
Stable Flies / manure and rotting vegetation / daytime
Horn Flies / cattle / daytime
Mosquitoes / water / dusk to early morning
No See Ums - Midges (Culicoides) / standing water, manure and decaying vegetation / twilight to dawn
- Eliminate insect breeding sites by removing manure, wet straw and waist hay daily from stalls and in and around horses and barn, then spread thinly or
- compost in a covered pile
- Keep in and around your barns, stalls, paddocks, corrals, pastures, etc. clean. Keep your paddocks and pastures mowed. Dispose of any waste, trash materials, etc. daily
- Spread out manure piles to help dry
- Keep your manure piles well away from barn and horses
- Use removable feed bins and wash them out regularly
- Attract predators like birds, frogs, lizards and good insects by planting suitable plants and habitats
- You may want to encourage "some" of the spiders in your barn - they eat flies
- Dust the bottoms of your trash cans with borax
- Eliminate standing water that can collect in such places as cans, old tires, discarded bedding and wet organic material
- Prevent mosquitoes from breeding in rain barrels by applying 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the water's surface
- Keep horses away from standing water
- Peak feeding times for black flies, no-see-ums and mosquitoes is at sunrise and sunset, so stable horses around those times, if possible
- Install overhead stall fans to interfere with the insects’ flight. Use caution with electrical cords
- Place fine mesh screens in all windows
- Let your horse's main and tail grow so that it will have extra swishing power
- Baking soda is a wonderful neutralizer. Spread in or on areas like urine spots in stalls, muck buckets, trash cans, etc
- Vinegar is another good urine smell eliminator; spray some on those urine spots
- Adopt a barn cat or two – they are the greatest for rodent control. Remember have them spayed or neutered
- If you do not mind having Muscovy ducks around the barn, they will remove adult houseflies more than 30 times faster than the most efficient commercial devices
Suggestions for Insect Repellents:
Note: Never use a commercial fly repellent containing DEET on horses (or other animals), possible absorption or ingestion can occur and may cause unwanted toxic side effects
- Avoid spraying repellent into eyes, nose and mouth of your horse
- Always shake your fly spray before using
- Buy your fly sprays in a concentrated form - most economical
- Create your own insect repellent recipe and always use a pure essential oil
- Oil based repellents sprayed on your horse will collect dust - do not use before an event with your horse
- Use Bounce fabric softener sheets to repel insects when riding. Tie one to your horse's headstall, saddle and stick one in your back pocket
- Mix your fly spray into a 1-gallon plant/bug sprayer*. It can cut the over-use of fly spray, is faster and easier to spray, and it lasts a lot longer
For those who prefer not to use pesticides on or around your horse, especially with foals less than 12 weeks old, there are several "natural" repellents available on the market. Or, make up your own natural fly spray that you can rub or spray onto your horse's coat as needed. Fly sprays are only one line of defense and there are other ideas that can be implemented to deter or trap insects. Many homemade recipes/remedies are in use today by people looking for other methods of control instead of harmful chemicals and some of them follow. Look at the suggestions and let your experiences and of course, your thoughts be heard - make a comment/suggestion below.
Recipes/Remedies for Pest Control
1) Homemade Repellent Spray
1/2 teaspoon oil of myrrh
2 cups water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of citronella oil
Mix in a spray bottle
2) Homemade Repellent Spray
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups cold (prepared) tea, such as sage or chamomile tea
20 drops eucalyptus oil
20 drops citronella oil
10 drops lavender oil
10 drops tea tree oil
10 drops cedar oil
20 drops emulsifier, such as polysorbate 20*
Mix in a spray bottle
Most ingredients are available at natural food store.
* Polysorbate 20 is not an all natural product.
3) Tick and Fly Spray
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil (available at drugstores and health food stores)
Mix all ingredients well and store in a handy spray bottle
4) Homemade Repellent Spray
2 cups (500 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil
2 tsp. (10 ml) eucalyptus oil (or citronella oil)
Mix all ingredients well and store in a handy spray bottle
4b) Variation of Above
2 cups Avon Skin-So-Soft
2 cups water
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon oil of citronella*
In a standard one quart or one liter spray bottle, mix the ingredients.
Shake before every use
*you can eliminate this or reduce the amount if it seems too strong
5) Homemade Repellent Spray
40 drops eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil
50/50 apple cider vinegar and water
Mix all ingredients well and store in a handy spray bottle
6) Homemade Repellent Spray
1/2 cup Dawn dish soap
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
Mix all ingredients well and store in a handy spray bottle
7) Homemade Repellent Spray
1 can of Pine Tar (sit it in a bucket of hot water, unopened, to soften)
500 ml of Creolin
melt a pound of shortening
Put it in an empty dish soap bottle. Use a rag to apply under the cheekbones, the ears, under the belly and the chest. Use latex gloves because it STINKS! Usually, you only have to apply it every other day or so
8) Homemade Repellent Spray
Take a large lemon with a thick rind and slice thinly. Place in a bowl with a few sprigs of rosemary and cover both in boiling water. Allow to steep overnight and strain the mixture the following morning. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake before applying. A similar response seems to be had by doing the same with leaves, stems and flowers from Elder bushes.
(Slipping flowering elder twigs through your horse's brow band can also act as a fly repellent)
9) Homemade Repellent Spray
Mix one part crushed garlic to five parts water. Shake the mixture and leave overnight. Strain and pour liquid into a spray bottle
10) Homemade Repellent Spray
White wine vinegar, water and any combination of eucalyptus, lavender, sandalwood or tea tree oils
Mix a few drops of each essential oil into a little dish soap liquid and add to the vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar) and water base. Put the resultant mixture into a spray bottle and shake well before using. Variations include the addition of a strong, cold tea instead of water like sage or chamomile teas
2 cups vodka
1 TBSP citronella essential oil
1 TBSP eucalyptus essential oil
1 tsp geranium essential oil
1 tsp rosemary essential oil
1 tsp orange essential oil
1 tsp lemon essential oil
Combine all ingredients together in a spray bottle and shake. Mist onto your horse or into the air to keep insects away
12) Homemade Repellent Spray
1 oz crushed rosemary
1 oz thyme
1 oz lemongrass
1 oz catnip
1 oz basil
1oz bay leaf
1oz crushed cloves
3 cups of canola or soybean oil
Infuse all ingredients together in a pan or crock pot and simmer on low for about 1 hour. Remove from heat or cut off crock and let sit for 24 hours. Pour fused mixture through a strainer into a bowl. Discard herbs and pour liquid in to a spray bottle. Mist over horse or use as a rub around horse's ears ,neck, jaws and legs. This application is safe for humans. Apply to the arms, neck and legs.
13) Homemade Repellent Spray
2 cups light mineral oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp. citronella oil
2 tsp. eucalyptus essential oil
2 tsp. lemon dish soap
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle
14) Homemade Repellent Spray
1 pint sump oil*
a few drops oil of eucalyptus
Mix ingredients together in a spray bottle. Keep out of eye area.
*used motor oil obtainable free from most garages
15) Homemade Insect Repellent Lotion
8 oz light unscented skin lotion
15 drops citronella oil
15 drops eucalyptus oil
10 drops patchouli
Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix over low speed until well blended. Use a small spatula and put lotion in a squeezable plastic bottle. Those red, yellow and white plastic condiment containers used at picnics work great. Apply to exposed skin.
Note: Manufactured natural insect repellents use essential oils to combat insects. Citronella, a pungent grass from Southeast Asia is the most common oil used. There are other plant oils including but not limited to cedarwood, eucalyptus, lemon grass and peppermint. Mixing the right combination of oils together will help provide a wider range of protection
Note: Create a combination of essential oils to form your own recipe. Select oils appropriate for the intended purpose of the spritzer. In addition, the amount of essential oil used depends on the purpose of the spray. A general outline is indicated below:
To 4 ounces of distilled water or distilled vinegar, add:
8 to 10 drops for the face - do not get in eyes, nose or mouth
30 to 40 drops for an all over body spray
80 to 100 drops for a barn spray/air freshener
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Note: Molasses in feed will attract biting insects in your barn and on your horse. Insects like the sweetness. Try to purchase or make your feed with a very small amount. Molasses is a nutritional substance, which acts as a powerful and natural electrolyte. The benefits for your horse are substantial; therefore have a program to supply it to your horse in his water. More on this topic in future blogs
1) Internal Repellent
The addition of garlic to a horse's feed causes the skin to secrete garlic scent that deter flies. Garlic powder can be bought from most tack and feed merchants
2) Internal Repellent
Adding a little apple cider vinegar to a horse’s water raises the pH of the horse's blood sufficiently to put flies off from biting
3) Internal Repellent
Feed your horse ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar daily. It will raise the pH of the horse's blood sufficiently to put flies off from biting
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1) Homemade Fly Paper
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
brown paper bag
Cut 4 or 5 long strips about 2 inches wide from brown paper bags. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and spread it on the strips with a knife. Hang the strips over a bowl to catch drip.
1) Homemade Insect Trap
3 cups (750 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 grams) sugar
Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar solution then place in a large jar and punch holes in the lid. The flies become trapped inside. Try to use plastic jars - less likely to break-open if they fall
2) Homemade Insect Trap
Banana peel
Empty 2 liter bottle
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
water
Cut the banana peel into thin strips and insert them into the empty 2 liter bottle. In a large measuring cup, combine sugar and vinegar, stir until blended. Pour the mixture into the liter bottle. Fill the bottle with water up to 2 inches below the neck. Tie a piece of string around the neck of the bottle and hang it from a nearby tree branch. Insects fly in, get stuck and cannot fly out. Bees and bugs find the contents of the bottle more attractive than the majority of other matter in the surroundings
Hanging Herbal Repellents
- Hang a pine bough (branch or limb) in the barn or stall: flies dislike pine oil
- Whole or ground cloves in a small muslin teabag make a good fly-repelling hanging sachet
- Hang pomanders (a mixture of aromatic substances enclosed in a sachet, ball, or other container) on doors or windows: citrus peel is a great repellent to use in them
- Mix approximately 10 gloves, eucalyptus sprigs and clover blossom in cheese cloth and tie; making a sachet to hang from the rafters
- Hang bunches of flowering Elecampane (Inula Viscosa Compositae) in stables. This sticky plant catches flies. After an accumulation of flies, submerge bunches into bucket of water to drown flies
- Other herb bunches that act as fly repellents: sage, rosemary, chamomile. Use caution when hanging - some plants are harmful if ingested
Pest-Repellent Plants
Besides being attractive, fragrant plants and herbs are an environmentally friendly alternative to the use of chemical pesticides. Three ways in which herbs provide protection from pests; masking plants, repelling plants and plants that are used to make sprays to distract or kill. Many herbs fall into all three of those categories. Use caution when planting - some plants are harmful if ingested
- Basil (Ocimum spp.) grown in pots in an area or near an open door or window will keep flies and mosquitoes away
- Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is one of the stronger herbs. Grow it near a doorway to repel flies, or spread the leaves around to repel ants
- Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) grown in an area near horses will keep them clear of lice
- The familiar spray Pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) grows as an attractive, tough garden plant, with a white daisy flower that is used dried
- Of course, Citronella grass is the main ingredient companies use for citronella oil. This oil is put in candles and lanterns that can be burned in your yard to repel mosquitoes. Citronella grass is actually a tropic plant that grows to be six feet tall so, consider this when planting
- Catnip is an herb that is most commonly used to stuff in toys or fed to cats for their enjoyment. However, the oil from this plant has actually been found to be more than ten times better at repelling mosquitoes than DEET. Planting this plant near areas for horses and people will help repel mosquitoes
- Rosemary has oil that repels mosquitoes. While they are attractive plants that both repel mosquitoes and can add interest to your cooking, they are truly tropical plants that are not hardy in cold climates. You can however, grow rosemary in a pot and take it inside in the winter.
- Marigolds have a particular smell that many insects and humans find objectionable. They are a good plant for repelling mosquitoes as well as insects that can attack plants, like aphids. Marigolds are annuals with bright flowers that range from lemon yellow to dark oranges and reds
- Mosquito Plants are actually plants on the market that are called just that - Mosquito plants. They are advertised as a plant that repels mosquitoes. There are different schools of thoughts on these plants. Some say they do nothing to repel mosquitoes, while others swear by them. More often than not, you can only find them through mail order and Internet sales
Herb Gardens and Pest Control...more info:
Go Green Tips:
- entice pest eating birds to your property with nest houses and feeders
- use "Fly Predators" - gnat sized insects that eat flies in their larva stage thus controlling the fly population - see...www.spalding-labs.com
- remember to label all your containers
Any Go Green Ideas?
If you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride
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