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Talkback: Horseflies

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I feel the same about mosquitos - no discernable use to anyone. I've had some success repelling them with a lavender gel and, believe it or not, eating Marmite! Don't knnow if it works for horseflies as I don't see them here.
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I saw a lady bird today the first one in ages, all these useful bugs seem to be dissapearing whilst things that are no use to man or beast seem to thrive, I fear for our bee's and butterflies as well.I must admit horse flies and mosquito's are my worst enamies,along with wasps,they all seem to bite me.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Can you please advise me when it is the right time to cut down all spring leaves from Heleborus, they re growing strongly and cramping other plans in the woodland garden, i.e. hostas.

    Is there such a plant as "hot lips".
    thenk you.
    Eileen Carter.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    @bunnysgarden

    Yes, Avon's Skinsosoft, applied liberally to all exposed skin, is a popular and fairly effective protection from biting insects. It won't necessarily stop them landing on you (it's not a repellent) but it seems to make them less likely to bite.

    I was first tole about it by a squaddie (apparently they buy it for themselves and take it out in their bergens, which is a fun image) but now you'll find it in places like camping shops (eg Tisos) especially up here in Scotland where midges are the real concern.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    im finding ants seem to be my problem i think that i have kill them all and then they pop up again and again.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I am so with you all on this subject! I went out in the garden this evening, I had been looking forward to a bit of garden time all day; three minutes later I had been bitten so badly by mosquitoes I had to come in. However much you use insect repellent they always seem to find the square inch uncovered. I have tried skinsosoft too but it didn't work.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Eileen, there is a Salvia called 'Hotlips'.Red and white flower petals. I don't usually get bitten by much...maybe my skin's unpalateable!, but when I used to ride, horseflies were the bane of our life in hot weather. Ants are a pet hate of mine. When we moved into our house we had to lift the floorboards in the kitchen to get at the air vent in the wall and remove an ants nest, very nasty. That was one of the black ant colonies, further down the garden were a few red ant nests, even nastier. A combination of bait, boiling water, and disturbing the nests (and 11 yrs of doing it!) seem to have moved the blighters on.....for now!!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    We haven't had horse flies til this year - and only on the allotment where we collected horse manure and spread as a mulch. I have managed to keep them from biting me by covering up and insect repellent -though I'm with Pippa on not really wanting to use chemicals on my skin - but they LOVE my husband, and his legs are their favourite "blood snack". We eat garlic with evening meal, perhaps we need to do so for breakfast!!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I am moving house in late august and want to take my tree peaony (4 yrs old) with me. I know they do not normally like being disturbed. Has anyone successfully done this? Many thanks.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Pippa, horseflies are astonishing creatures. For one thing they have the most beautiful eyes in the animal kingdom, all dots and bars of metallic blues, green and reds. Secondly, they stalk their prey with a delicate precision that is awe-inspiring. The silent swoop to the back of the neck is something vampire story writers cannot match. Thirdly, they are declining widely in the British countryside, part of a general malaise of which these and other insects are key indicators. Some are especially handsome too, there are well-documented reports of entomologists visiting the New Forest and stripping off their shirts (this was in the early 20th century so quite shocking) in attempts to attract the large horsefly species for which the area was well known.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have a small yard where i grow great hostas. This year I have been bitten by flies or midges etc. I tried eating garlic and didn't seem to do much. my brother inlaw suggested putting a tiny amount of jeyes fluid in my saved rainwater. I did try the garlic in there as well but although the hostas look strong did not stop the flies. Any ides as I don't want to ruin the plants that are doing well.
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