[NASH]

Every time i wear shorts down me plot I get bitten by a small winged mottled colour fly and it itches for about a week, either bites my thigh or calf, the area then goes red and forms a hard lump which takes another couple of weeks to go down.

What can i do to stop these damn biters !

[gillie]

Horse flies? http://www.uknature.co.uk/H.pluvialis-info.html

Fortunately their season is pretty short but is at its height at the moment. 

Wear trousers and swat them!

Gillie

[8doubles]

Sounds like a Gadfly (horsefly).

Put your legs away ! 

[HelenK]

I am sympathetic as the little devils have got me a couple of times. Once I was bitten on the side of my calf, the area swelled up and was agony, I actually couldn't walk!

[peapod]

I am sympathetic as the little devils have got me a couple of times. Once I was bitten on the side of my calf, the area swelled up and was agony, I actually couldn't walk!

My MIL was bitten on the face, she was a real mess and in so much pain. Now she runs a mile and wont visit me at the plot at this time of year

[Salmo]

Horsefly. The problem is that you do not feel them on you until they pull their mouthparts out of your skin.

[joyfull]

horse fly otherwise known as cleg-fly, have been bitten several times by these in the past but on my lower lip - awful huge great lumps afterwards 

[yorky]

Horse flies? http://www.uknature.co.uk/H.pluvialis-info.html

Having read that link I am now going out into the garden dressed as if its the middle of winter. 

[poppies]

I got bitten  by a horsefly last night felt it bite but could'nt get it off really itchy today

looked down the field last night and though oh was river dancing but he was just treading on one that had got him

[Ourveggiepatch]

Hi

We have loads of Horseflys on our allotment, we are surrounded by countryside - sheep, horses etc...

I have been bitten several times and so has my better half.  I actually caught one once land on my hand, I tried to blow it off but by then it had sunk its mouth into my hand so I flicked it away - I pinched my skin making it bleed to get blood and poison running outside of the wound then I sucked hard at the area drawing out the blood and poison - it worked, I had no side effects, i didn't get an itching just a small red mark.

OVP

[gillie]

I slap them if I spot them rather than trying to pick them off.  They drop dead in a most satisfying way.

Gillie

[Parsnip]

Yep, horsefly...what use are they to the eco system? I got bitten by one on my foot ( of all places) a couple of weeks ago it the lump has only just gone...and they are soooooo itchy...

[elibump]

What about insect repellent?  Boots used to do a good one and over here there is an excellent one made by the French equivalent of Elastoplast.

 

[Rowan]

i had three bites on my wrist this time last year, were really red and angry. i was bored in a meeting and itched them..... i still have the scars form the scabs they left.

Horrid things

[LivvyW]

 We have them bad here too. Insect repellant does work....if you remember to put it on