Keep Horse Flies Away, Tick-ing Off, A Bird In The Hand & Allbutt Blue

Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
18^th July 2020

Keep Horse Flies Away

Horse flies are currently the bane of anyone, and everyone, who is spending time outdoors, which at the moment will probably be most of us.

When I lived in the Caribbean years ago, I heard about a ‘secret’ product that would repel midges, mosquitoes and horse flies and have used it ever since with great results. It is actually a beauty body oil but the SAS, fishermen and numerous other outdoors-ers have also known about its ‘other’ properties for years.

Not surprisingly, with the Internet, and me recommending it every year, it is no longer quite so secret but in my experience, just as effective.

It’s Avon’s Skin So Soft Dry Oil (Original). Apparently Avon cannot sell it as an insect repellent due to various EU ruling as it’s not what it’s manufactured for. If you just Google ‘Skin So Soft Insect Repellent’, some business-savvy websites are selling it specifically as an insect repellent but it is usually far more expensive than from the ‘ding-dong’ favourite.

It is only the adult female horse fly which feeds on the blood of large animals and humans – the same as mosquitoes. ‘Typical woman’ my brother was heard to mutter. When I said that I didn’t tend to get bitten, he added, “That would be because you’re so bitter!” Nothing quite like a brother to keep your feet on the ground.

Male horse flies only drink nectar from flowers or juice from fruit – ahh, bless them. I bet they drive the females to drink blood though! Eggs are laid near water, and as an adult they only live for a few days – often less if you are a good aim.

The female adults are equipped with scissor-like mandibles that tear and cut. When viewed under a microscope, the mouth parts look like jagged saw blades. The bite is painful because the females actually cut a hole into the skin in order to soak up the blood that comes out. If you are of a squeamish disposition you may want to stop reading now (if it’s not too late). If left uncontrolled, 20-30 horseflies can drain almost a third of a pint of blood from their victims in as little as 6 hours, though I think humans will have started swatting well before then.

Horseflies go by many names. Not surprisingly perhaps, in Canada they are referred to as ‘bull dog flies’. Funnily enough, they are actually excellent pollinators, but even for keen gardeners it is rarely enough to redeem the little blighters.

Tick-ing Off

And whilst on the subject of little blighters – ticks are extremely prevalent this year, especially on some mountains and moorlands. Lots of friends have been struggling to keep their dogs clear of them and I know of a few ‘uprights’ (humans) that have also found the horrible things attached to them after a walk. Be vigilant – they can be just the size of a pinhead when they attach and before they fill with blood.

Please don’t underestimate them. They can cause Lyme Disease (as well as carrying other diseases since pet travel has opened up in Europe), affecting dogs as well as people. They should always be removed very carefully, as not to squeeze the contents of them into your or your animal’s bloodstream. Invest in a proper tick remover and if in doubt go to the doctor or the vet to get them removed safely.

It’s far better to go with a tick, than with horrendous symptoms later.

A Bird In The Hand

On a much nicer, more of a ‘Walt Disney’ note, I have had some lovely encounters with wildlife this week. As I ate breakfast outdoors early one morning, I watched – and listened to – a red spotted woodpecker feeding on bugs from a dead branch of my apple tree. I have left the branch in situ, as I knew it would attract bugs for the birds. It paid off last week, as I enjoyed the company of my breakfast companion.

I also have a lovely wild cherry tree outside the back door, which has been laden with cherries for the last few weeks and has enticed flocks of blackbirds and thrushes into the garden. A mother and three baby bunnies are enjoying the ones that manage to get to the ground, and a cheeky squirrel is bravely cleaning up the cherries in front of the patio doors – much to Yogi’s indignation.

One morning – amongst the throng of other wildlife – a fledging thrush was sitting on the deck looking very sorry for itself.

I picked it up to check it over and as it had no obvious injuries, I set about teaching it to fly. It took a few minutes and it was so rewarding to see him fly away safely.

Two mornings later, there was another (or maybe even the same one). I repeated the process and he flew off after a few minutes of careful handling too. I think I have inadvertently set up a Fledgling Flying School! You can see these videos – and the woodpecker enjoying breakfast – on my Facebook page, ‘Lynne Allbutt’.

Allbutt Blue

And my Allbutt Blue sweet peas are a great success. Described by www.englishsweetpeas.co.uk as, “One of the loveliest of modern grandiflora picotees, a blue rim on a white ground and with an outstanding scent.