Yellow Flies: Tips for Dealing with this Florida Pest
Posted May 23, 2022
It’s that time of year again… the dreaded yellow flies will soon be back. Ugh.
These pesky bugs with a painful bite have returned for the season. They will be here during May and June to annoy you while you’re trying to enjoy outside activities. Maybe you’re planning to head out to the Timpoochee trail for biking, take a hike in one of the beautiful local forests, camping outdoors or even just hang out in your own backyard. Regardless, you’ll want to be prepared and in the know, so you can protect yourself and continue to enjoy your summer outdoor activities without disturbance.
The name “yellow fly” is used to describe a dozen different species of yellow-bodied biting flies. These are found all across Florida and are most abundant during the months of May and June. The yellow fly is an aggressive biter. As a member of the Tabanidae family (their full name is Diachlorus Ferrugatus), the female is the main inflictor of pain. The males are primarily pollen and nectar feeders. Once bitten, many people experience swelling and prolonged pain. “We have heard of some people getting bit on the foot or toe and being unable to work,” said Ben Brewer, director of South Walton Mosquito Control District.
If you’ve already been bitten by a yellow fly, here are some tips to minimize the pain:
But how do you avoid getting bitten in the first place?
The easiest way to prevent bites is to simply cover up. Wearing long sleeves, pants and closed-toe shoes can help limit exposure to flies. It’s also rumored that cactus juice can fend off yellow flies. Cactus juice can be purchased in some local stores and on Amazon.
Yellow flies are also notoriously slow. Many locals simply wait for them to land and then whack them with a flip-flop. If you’re fast enough, it can become a fun game. IF you’re fast enough.
South Walton Mosquito District Maintenance Technician, Tommy and Mechanic, Gerry assemble Yellow fly kits for South Walton residents. Photo via Facebook.
Other types of traps and repellents are available in local markets, with big black sticky balls being among the most effective. Yes. You read that right. Yellow flies are attracted to dark shapes and movement. By hanging inflatable black balls in your yard, coasted with a sticky glue, yellow flies see the movement and the dark shape. They fly into the ball and get stuck. Within a few days, you could have dozens of yellow flies stuck to the swaying black beach ball.
South Walton Mosquito Control District offers yellow fly sticky trap kits for free to residents in south Walton County that live south of Choctawhatchee Bay.
Starting April 4, 2022, you can request a free yellow fly sticky trap kit. Kits can be picked up at their headquarters between 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Availability is restricted to one kit per household for South Walton County residents. Kits are available for pick up only with proof of residency such as a utility bill with a residential address.
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If you’re looking for professional insecticide solution provider, check out SantiClean Services, a locally-owned and operated company here on 30A that extends its services to the panhandle area of Northwest Florida. Apart from providing disinfection and sanitizing services and products (that include treatment of COVID-19), the company services both residential and commercial businesses. Their products are all botanical so safe for kids, pets, and plants, and are food grade.
The products are residual, which means they keep killing after being applied. In high-touch areas, the effects will last a week or more and in lesser traffic areas it could last for months. To learn more, call 404-403-8149.