Bug Buster

BUILDING YOUR ARSENAL AGAINST INSECTS

The presence of flies and other biting insects has ramped up over the last couple of months, and many of us will have started to notice our horses’ distress at the re-emergence of these pests. Head shaking, stamping, tail swishing, biting, pacing and head-tossing are all signs that your horse is feeling irritated by the presence of the insects in their environment. Whilst many of us have unfortunately accepted the reality of insects living in a hot country with horses, it should be acknowledged that these insects can detract from the quality of life of our precious equids.

It is also worth remembering that insect bites don’t just irritate your horse; their bites can cause welts and rashes, lead to insect bite hypersensitivity and even transmit diseases such as AHS. Insects can also affect your horse’s weight and hoof condition, as many horses experiencing irritation with flies will pace excessively, causing a loss in weight and excessive wear to the hooves.

It is, therefore, our responsibility, as owners, to do all we can to minimise the disease risk and also the irritation caused by these insects. And, whilst we will never achieve a perfect insect-free scenario, we can certainly do a lot to reduce the presence of these pests, and most importantly, minimise their access to our horses.

NOTE: Cullicoides midges, the vectors of AHS, are not dealt with as a specific entity in this article. Whilst most of the measures here can help to some extent in controlling them, the midge, their habits and the measures that best control them, will be the subject of a separate article next month.

THE INSECT ARSENAL

There are several products and options available for insect control. Here we look at the most common ones and the integrated role they should all play in keeping your horse as safe as possible from insects.

FLY SPRAYS AND PRODUCTS

There are a variety of commercially available fly sprays and products on offer. Some control pyrethrin (made from compounds that occur naturally in African chrysanthemum flowers), some contain pyrethroids (synthetic chemicals, including permethrin, that act like pyrethrins), some contain cypermethrin, and some contain natural products such as citronella. Some sprays are repellants, which simply stop the fly from landing on your horse. Others, typically containing permethrin, are lethal to insects, and the insect will die shortly after landing on the horse. Some contain combinations of fly sprays and repellants to combine the effects. But, whichever spray or product you choose, you need to bear the following in mind when applying it:

HOW LONG DO FLY SPRAYS LAST ON THE HORSE?

The duration of action of most fly sprays depends on the environment. Many of these fly sprays decay faster outdoors than indoors due to exposure to UV rays. Degradation also occurs faster when horses are exposed to moisture, either from rain or sweat. To get some guidance on this, read the labels on your fly spray to see how they must be stored. This will give you some indication about the conditions in which they will break down and become ineffective most quickly, i.e. if your fly spray says to keep in a cool place out of direct sunlight, warmth and UV rays are likely to cause it to break down rapidly.

WHERE TO APPLY FLY SPRAY?

Another consideration when assembling your anti-bug armour is where to apply sprays. In each case, you need to think about where the insects normally attack and treat accordingly, although commonly each part of the horse needs some treatment. Stable flies, for instance, like to attack the legs so apply fly spray liberally to these areas.

Insects also like moisture, so you’ll need protection around the horse’s face – particularly around the ears, eyes and nose. This shows the benefits of using a fly mask with good coverage, and also perhaps applying some of your insect spray with a sponge underneath the mask.

The horse’s body is also a target for certain insects, particularly where their legs join their chest and around the udders of mares. However, you do need to be careful, particularly in these sensitive areas. If the mare is nursing a foal, it is, of course, an absolute no-no to spray the udder, and even in mares without foals spraying the udders can cause irritation. Instead, a good idea is to wipe spray on the inside of the mare’s legs to keep her comfortable. Genitals and wounds should also be avoided and sprayed around rather than directly sprayed themselves.

Of course, it goes without saying that if you notice a reaction to any fly sprays or insect sprays, then you should discontinue its use immediately and choose an alternative option with different active ingredients.

MAXIMISING THE EFFICIENCY OF SPRAYS

Insect spray isn’t cheap, so we want to make sure we get the best results from the least amount of product and time spent applying it.

The most important point is to always start with a clean horse. Although you don’t need to bathe your horse before you spray, you do want to groom him to remove loose hair and dirt.

Then, follow the manufacturer's label instructions for application. Some advise wiping versus spraying, while others advise brushing hair against its growth while spraying so the spray reaches hair roots and skin. Some advise wearing goggles to avoid contact with eyes, and some suggest wearing long sleeves and trousers or only spraying outdoors. Then, aside from how to spray it, you need to make sure you apply at the suggested frequency of the manufacturer. They have conducted the tests with their products and will be best placed to recommend the optimal frequency of application for maximal impact.

PHYSICAL BARRIERS

Other options to maximise your horse’s comfort and minimise the access of insects to your horse are fly sheets, fly masks and fly leg-protectors. All of these have been found to be effective in reducing insect access, and provided your horse does not become too hot in them, they are good practical strategies that you can employ to act as physical (and in some cases chemical) barriers for your horse.

BUG ON BUG WARFARE

In recent years, fighting flies or other insects with insects has become a good option for horse owners wary of chemical use. The main options is fly predators, tiny wasps that don’t sting animals or people. These beneficial insects can easily control flies. Fly predators kill flies in their developing stages while they are in the ground. The female fly lays her eggs wherever she finds decomposing organic material, and in this material, the eggs hatch and become larvae, which eventually form a cocoon before hatching into the next generation. When you spread the fly predators in that area, the tiny wasps lay eggs in fly cocoons, thus stopping the adult fly from hatching. Fly predators must be replenished on a regular basis to ensure that you have the best fly control. They don’t become a nuisance and have a very short life span.

INTEGRATED INSECT CONTROL

Your goal is to keep your horse comfortable and diseasefree, which requires quite a lot of effort during the insect season. To this end, you might need to employ a variety of techniques to both repel and kill insects. Fly sprays by themselves are not cure-alls. Fly control requires a comprehensive strategy, and the biggest component is simply good housekeeping.

First on the housekeeping list needs to be manure management. Remove old bedding at least daily, and if you have old feed, put it on the manure pile as well. You must also pick up manure in the paddock every day or every two days to keep the outdoor population under control. Of course, you also need to make sure your manure heap is as far from the horses as possible. If you compost your own manure, turning it weekly encourages hot compositing, which kills immature houseflies and stable flies. If you are looking for alternative manure options, spreading manure out thinly can help to break up and dry out the flies' nests and decrease their presence.

Another key element is looking out for standing water, as insects are attracted to moisture. Look out for leaking taps or buckets standing around with water in the bottom.

You also need to make sure that any food in the barn is kept covered. This is not only important for rats and other vermin but really can help to keep fly populations under control.

Sprays for the stable can also help, whether applied directly or via misters, as do screens on stable openings where practical. Another good option is to install fans that blow the air away from the stable, as most insects struggle to fly against the air current of a decently powerful fan. Fly traps can also be effective, whether you choose fly paper or jars filled with attractants.

You also want to avoid turn out at peak insect feeding times, so dawn and dusk in the case of mosquitos and the Cullicoides midge, which is responsible for AHS.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Our responsibility as horse owners is to keep our horses healthy, safe and comfortable. Building an effective insect fighting strategy does just that!