# Fly and mosquito control



## wannacow (Jun 20, 2013)

I was wondering if I could use essential oils for fly and mosquito control on my goats.  I've heard of lemongrass and eucalyptus oil or lemon eucalyptus oil.  I milk for human consumption, so I don't want to use any poisons or chemicals.  Does anybody have any ideas.  My girls are getting eaten alive.


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## animalmom (Jun 20, 2013)

I'm a big fan of using aromatic oils for my own mosquito protection.  I have not used them on my goats mostly because we treat our lily pond with mosquito dunks, and use dunks in the water troughs.  

My hesitation on using the oils on the goats is the oils need to be thinned with alcohol; some use vodka but I use 90% rubbing alcohol.  I SUPPOSE the alcohol evaporates quickly after application, but I don't know if the oils themselves would cause a problem.  My home mixture is equal amounts of lavender, eucalyptus citriodoro, lemon grass and pennyroyal.  I put about 10 drops in a 10 oz sprayer and fill with the rubbing alcohol.  Smells nice, but you have to keep re-applying.

Do you have any standing water:  Stock tanks, ponds, water troughs?  You should treat those first.

Another suggestion is to put this question to the organic section and see what those folks think.

Good luck with the skeeters.


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## bcnewe2 (Jun 20, 2013)

Can't help with mosquitoes but for flies I use fly predators from Arbico organics.  Spalding has them but Arbico is cheaper and their customer service is marvelous.  
After saying that, this year has been just horrid.  In the 3 years ive lived here and used the predators ive not seen fly one. But this month they are getting the best of us.  Ive got extra fly predators ordered and on the way.  In the mean time I've been using lemongrass and eucalyptus sold as a natural repellant spray on my lgd for flies but mostly she sleeps in front of the fan during the heat of fly time.  Fans are great for keeping flies from lighting on the animals.  My sheep will stand in front of one if offered.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 20, 2013)

We haven't ever had issues with flies before.

This year...   it is horrible! 

We have a poultry farm with free range chickens, ducks, geese...about 300... so no pesticides are used. 

Flies... and squitoes too. Never had any issues with them either. This year CRAZY! We had a wet fall, wet winter, wet spring. 3 seasons of water and mud... maybe why it is so bad this year.

Fleas and ticks too... nothing works in our area anymore for the fleas, unless you put them on comfortis.

I would love to find a solution, will keep my attention on this thread.


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## Pearce Pastures (Jun 21, 2013)

We have nasty flies every year.  So far, we have not tried the sprays or fly predators.  We keep the floor clean to the dirt and put down barn lime in any area that the goats are using as a restroom.  I keep a high powered fan going near the doorway and it not only keeps the barn cooler but seems to cut down on the number of flies who come past it.  Plus, we have sticky tapes and change them out regularly.  

Last year, we got one of those fly bated jar.  It worked well but it didn't make sense to me to hang it in the barn---it kind of draws the flies in really.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 21, 2013)

Oh Pearce we tried the baited fly traps... put it outside ... it smelled so bad     I pitched it... figured the flies were better than that stink!


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## Pearce Pastures (Jun 21, 2013)

I KNOW!!!    I accidentally got some of that goo on my finger and no matter what I washed with, that smell would not come off.


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## bcnewe2 (Jun 21, 2013)

Funny I was just talking to arbico about what to do and she said if I decided to add baited fly traps to make sure I wasn't putting them where I would draw flies in.  Stinky stuff!


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## Ruus (Jun 21, 2013)

I know a man who puts raw hamburger somewhere away from the busy areas of his land to draw the flies away...  He swears up and down that it works, but I've never tried it. I just tend to grin and bear it until they die down. I've never found a chemical repellant that really works, anyway.


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## kuntrygirl (Jun 21, 2013)

I use fly ribbons from Walmart.  They are only $1.12 for a 4 pack.  They work GREAT!!!! They even caught a hummingbird.  Poor bird.  I place them all over the chicken yard and chicken coops.  I have seen a DRASTIC difference/decrease in the amount of flies.  Absolutely no smell.


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## wannacow (Jun 21, 2013)

I use the fly strips in the barn too, but I need something when the goats are in the pasture.  If there is no breeze, they are miserable.


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## kuntrygirl (Jun 21, 2013)

Gotcha.  Poor babies.  Not sure what you could use.  I will try to research and see what i can find.  Seems like the only thing would be some type of natural remedies like (and this is just an example), lemon juice, natural oils, water, etc.  But I don't know of any recipe.


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## wannacow (Jun 21, 2013)

I guess I wasn't very clear.  Will the essential oils be a problem for them?  e.g. Tea tree oil is toxic to cats.  Is the eucalyptus or lemon grass oil a problem?


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## verkagj (Jun 21, 2013)

I don't think the essential oils would be bad for the goats. I've tried some mixed with water and it didn't work at all. As soon as it dried on their fur, flies/mosies were back. But I have seen sprays sold with essential oils for use on horses so they should work on goats as well.

I tried the Fly Rescue Traps and they did work but like others have said, they had to go when the smell got too much to handle. The bag was pretty near full of flies anyway. It's too windy here for fly ribbons, they just get stuck to itself or on whatever they are pinned to. 

Flies are awful here this year as well. I've got rosemary and basil plants sitting right next to my door that I touch before I open the door. It may be helping a bit but flies are still getting in the house.

I'll be watching this thread too for any solutions. The fly and mosquito season is much longer here than in the states so it is always a problem for me.


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## treeclimber233 (Jun 24, 2013)

My solution for Mosquito control is put a fish in a bucket of water.  The mosquito will lay eggs in the water and the fish will eat the baby mosquitoes.  If no babies grow up you will eventually get a hand on the mosquitoes.  Mosquitoes do not like fresh water so if you set a bucket of water out for a while and let it age the mosquitoes will go to the bucket.  When you see wigglers drop in a fish or two.  Works for me.  Drastically cut down on the mosquitoes at my barn.


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## AshleyFishy (Jun 29, 2013)

Muscovy ducks! They eat flies, skitters and fire ants. 

Best fly control I found though is turning the little buggers into free chicken feed. You take a 5 gallon bucket and drill holes just below the lid and just above the bottom. Put dry leaves in the bottom then some scrap meat or a dead chicken etc in it then more dry leaves on top. Then to close it up and hang it in your chicken pen or just some where not grassy where they can find it. Flys will crawl through the top holes and lay their eggs in the material. When the eggs turn into maggots they climb out the bottom holes and fall to the ground. The chicken will literally fight over them. If you put enough dry leaves there will be no smell.


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## Jens7Kids (Aug 3, 2013)

I know it wouldn't help mosquitos, but diatomaceous earth works great on flies.  And Fleas.  All I do is sprinkle the DE on the ground around the pen, the chicken yard, the milking stand, etc.  In a couple of days, flies are gone.  The DE kills the larvae when the flies lay eggs - thus, no more flies.  It's great because even if it rains, it just dries back out with the dirt - unless you have a river running through like I did this morning.  Doesn't take much, just a light dusting.


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## woodsie (Aug 3, 2013)

I was having horrendous flies with my jersey cow and went to the feed store in search of help. After explaining it was for a dairy cow and that I am pregnant I was shown a citronella spray and I was skeptical as I have never found the candles to be much help. As everything else was crazy toxic I decided to try it in a spray bottle. 

I sprayed her down outside and she didn't really seem to mind much and within a couple minutes the flies were gone and have not returned for days...on day 4 I noticed a couple buzzing so I did a light spray and the are gone again. I didn't do her udder but they seem to be repelled enough that they aren't really anywhere on her anymore...I did her ankles, back, sides and neck. I am super happy and she stands much more still when she's being milked plus I am not getting hit upside the head from her tail anymore!!! YAY!!! I'm sold and will not be without it!


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## animalmom (Aug 4, 2013)

Woodsie, what is the name of the citronella spray?  Not all citronella products work so it would be nice to see if I could find the one you used with success.


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## wannacow (Aug 4, 2013)

I'm interested too, Woodsie.


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## sawfish99 (Aug 5, 2013)

I am a dealer for Zephyr's Garden products which are designed for horses.  We use the Pure and Simple Plus fly spray on our horses.  Since it is all natural, I decided to try it out on the goats when they were bothered.  It works just as well on the goats and there are no chemicals to worry about contaminating the milk.  We take it with us to the fairs so the goats are not bothered while in the show ring.


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## woodsie (Aug 5, 2013)

Well it's definitely got more in the spray than just citronella....the name is Pony XP and it's citronella scented...but not as potent as some of the other sprays. It does say to not store and use around milk processing equipment and to not use on animals deemed for slaughter...so I am hoping it was okay to use on a dairy cow.  The directions say to spray until their coat is thoughouly damp but I just gave her a light spritz and it seems to be doing the trick. I would make sure to spray outside and away from you to avoid inhaling.

I would be interested in finding a product without any chemicals too.


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## treeclimber233 (Aug 5, 2013)

I used to buy citronella oil from a health food store.  Then mix it with a large bottle of baby oil.  Shake well because it seperates and spray on my horses before trail riding.  My horses were the only ones not bothered by flies on the trail.


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