home remedies? - Page 1

I live in Northern Maine. Up here we have black flies <worst than mesquitoes> this yr we have them bad. And seems like everything i try just isn't helping was wondering if anyone has a home remedy or a commercial product that might help.i can't leave my pups out very long in their kennels chewing ears big time. ive tried skin so soft,citris spray. don't want anything toxic on my kids.so any remedy i'm willing to try. oh and by the way my pups free of whip worms now:).And my female <Zora> is up on her weight now <7 months old and at 58 lbs now> gonna add this on this post. both my pups unreal food drive was wondering what everyone uses when training. my male is 8 months and up to 84 lbs cut back on his food <canidae> He isn't by no means fat. And I'm sure the treats can't be helping someone suggest to me hot dogs. Been giving them natural treats berries and fruits products by nature.the protein is 20%.

                      THANKS

                            STEVE

You can try FLY PARASITES which are very tiny wasps that attack the fly pupae. This is a very effective natural remedy that can be used around cattle or horse manure piles. It can reduce the number of flys by 80% when they originate from a nearby manure pile. Additional spraying, trapping, and repellants may be needed.  There are many good tips on insect control on the following site:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/b473/b473_23.html

Per the OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY  Bulletin:

"Fly parasites are tiny wasps that kill fly pupae. They attack only fly pupae in manure and are so small (similar in size to gnats) they go unnoticed by humans and livestock. Farmers make frequent releases of small numbers of these beneficial wasps to augment their existing populations of beneficials. The wasp females seek out fly pupae, kill them, and then lay eggs within the dead pupae. These eggs hatch and mature into a new generation of beneficial parasitic wasps. Fly parasites are useful for the control of house flies, stable flies, blowflies, and many other fly species. They cannot sting nor bite humans or animals..."

Hi Steve,

I HATE using chemicals on my dogs also,  So I use fly relief http://www.vetvax.com/flyproducts.html (its the first one on the list) its a bag you hang up high where no one can get to it and it works GREAT!  One lasts me almost half the summer.  Yes it is a chemical, but it is hanging a little away from the kennel so i dont have to worry about it falling down into the kennels. 

hope that helps!

Jessica