In a message dated 08/22/2002 11:15:25 AM US Mountain Standard Time, lkinsky@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
They
don't actually bite the horse, but they seem to drive them crazier
than flies that do bite. Start examining your horse for the tiny
yellow eggs that the flies lay on the horse, and remove them -- those
do a lot of damage as they hatch when the horse ingests them in the
course of licking/chewing them off their fur.
Nope not bot flies. They even look like bumble bees. I think these may be called Black Sheep Flies. They are very persistent. Their bite is horrific - one got me on the back and it drew blood before I could shake it loose from my clothes. Another one was on my horses rump (and I was riding bareback). When he started bucking I was able to spot it and when I whacked it, I swear it felt like a mouse, it filled half my palm and did a push up with my hand on it. YUCK ! ! ! ! From my memory (which can be weak at any given moment), I believe they bite and then lap the blood that flows from the wound. That would explain why it hurts so bad when they bite. EWWWWWW. That's why I now live in Arizona- I hated all the east coast blood sucking bugs ! ! !
Lee
A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast.
Proverbs 12:10
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