running with horseflies (a.k.a. little bastards)

You have to select your route carefully. I know there are sections of roads that I will pick them up and they'll be with me for miles. You can also run fast. If you go fast enough, they won't bother you.

Try running as early in the morning as you can. The little bastards don't like to fly until the air warms up a bit. I used to live in Wisconsin and I hated those things. They would even keep up with my on a road bike sometimes. If it's windy outside they have trouble keeping up but on a calm day they will irrate the hell out you.

Wear a yellow shirt (apparently they don't like yellow - how true this is I have no idea but it seems to work) and put on DEET insect-repellent - that is what I have found to work the best. Make sure you get the insect repellent in your hair so they don't attack your head

I've found that a dryer sheet in a hat or stuffed in my shorts has helped. There is something about the scent that the damn things hate.

Wear a cap but sprinkle it, plus the back of your neck, head, ears and arms liberally with white whine vinegar.

Totally natural, you might smell a tiny bit like coleslaw, but it keeps them off of you. Cheaper than bug spray, too.

I LOVE to snatch off on my hat or neck then sloooooooooowly

squeeze them until they pop.

They do not have snouts like mosquitos, they actually have tiny slasher devices which slice your skin open, that why it's so painful.

They probably are deerflies. Horse flies are very large, black and not as common. Deerflies are smaller,have some redish color on wings and buzz around your head in circles before they land to bite. They like the neck and behind the ears to bite.

Hats and bug spray on clothes and hat help. Also occasional sprints will lose them. They are attracted to certain people more than others. Higher necked running shirts with the hat helps

I have found that the yellow shirt works. I bet those Lance shirts would do it.

Motion attracts the Deer Flies. You can stop running and stand perfectly still and they circle for a while then give up and go away, but that is exactly enough time for the mosquitoes to find you.

Try the yellow shirt experiment while running with other guys who are not wearing yellow shirts.

Tom

If you're running shirtless spray the back of your head and back of your shorts with Deep Woods Off. If your wearing a shirt spray it on the backside of that too. Don't do the front side of your shit or else you'll be breathing it the whole run.

They got after me at the first of summer on my favorite dirt road route and i tried deet which worked for two miles then was sweated off of me. This was sprayed on hair and body but for some reason they always seem to go for my head.

My cure is this...let them buzz around and when you feel one land on your head quickly slap the shit out of him and your head but just the right amount of power that it doesn't really hurt the head. Keep doing this untill their aren't any left for the time. One will have dead gooey horse flys in the hair but i don't worry about it i just brush them out as i run with my hand and keep going. After about five runs of this on each route I have them cut back and not many get after me....yes i am a redneck.

Look for orchards where farmers spray the trees. I've never been bitten in the orchards even though about 50 flies circle my head if I attempt to run in the woods a mile down the road.

Some women runners I know claim that the flies don't bother them. So maybe a shirt plus a desert hat with a neck cover which simulates long hair would work.

I've heard all sorts of things over the years...

Thankfully this morning was my first real run in with the flies this summer though.

Like many others said...I highly suggest a shirt and a hat is a definite because they really go after the hair and neck. I've actually heard they are attracted to the carbon dioxide we breathe out but who knows. They also seem to be worst when its really muggy out so try to stay away from thick woods when its humid and nasty if you can't handle it...I used to flip out because they would drive me so nuts but with a hat its sooo much better but you will get a few bites on the neck and arms.

Does this white wine vinegar really work???

White whine? Srsly?

Let's do some science here. Do the yellow shirt test and report results here.

Maybe we'll learn something.

Tom

McFly Hello? wrote:

on a calm day they will irrate the hell out you.

"Irrate?" That sounds scary. Tell me what it means!

Wow you guys, I never knew anyone else had experienced this trauma as well!!!!! I LOVE running in the country on those open dirt roads-really nothing like it. Actually I ran peacefully like this for weeks until one day a horsefly attacked me when i ran through a swampy area under some trees. Ever since i have been TERRIFIED of these little shitheads. And since that day (thinking it would be a one time experience) it has happned almost every other time, like they can sense my fear.

I HATE THESE THINGS. I swear i ran as fast as i could to get away from me, but it KEPT circling me and attacking me no matter how fast I go. And I'm a decent runner...

really, i'm scarred for life :(

it's good to know i'm not the only one

a guy wrote:

I've found that a dryer sheet in a hat or stuffed in my shorts has helped. There is something about the scent that the damn things hate.

I've heard this works as well

Grab a few cinnamon ferns that grown along the road. Use these to swat at the flies as you run.

An experienced trail racer friend told me she sticks a couple small sheets of flypaper to the back of her hat, and is never bothered by them, They all go for the flypaper and get stuck - at the end of a 2 hr. run she may wind up w/ 3 doz. of the little bastards stuck to her hat.

There's a commercially available product - I'll post the name when I locate it.