Walton County's Help with Yellow Flies

BeachDreamer,

My husband would be able to answer those questions for you. You can call him on his cell at 404-391-5845, his name is Harold Smith. If you can't reach him on his cell try his store, that number is 770-939-6842, Handy Ace Hardware and make sure you ask for Harold Smith because there is another Harold that works in plumbing or you can email him at harold@handyacehardware.com.

Kim, what size area do they cover, do you know? Could I put it in the front yard and expect coverage in the back? Or do you need to haul it around with you when you move from area to area? Does it actually kill insects, or just repel them? Do you run it all the time, or just when you are outside? Thanks in advance! We are interested!

The one I got covers 1 acre. You put it anywhere you want it & it is easily moved if needed. They kill the insects by attracting them to the machine & trapping them in a net. The machine runs on propane from a gas cylinder like the ones used on grills & it runs all the time. The tank will need changing about every 3 to 4 weeks.

Yellow Flies come to town for about 6 weeks & should be out of here around the end of June.

Obviously, the yellow flies in my area failed to hear about this. They stick around for much longer than that.

The one I got covers 1 acre. You put it anywhere you want it & it is easily moved if needed. They kill the insects by attracting them to the machine & trapping them in a net. The machine runs on propane from a gas cylinder like the ones used on grills & it runs all the time. The tank will need changing about every 3 to 4 weeks.

Do they attract all insects? If so, what will be the effects to other creatures in our environment that rely on these or other insects for their food source? I don't mind swatting a few, but the birds and frogs have to eat too.

Almost all U.S. bats, and 70 percent of the bat species worldwide, feed almost exclusively on insects and are thus extremely beneficial. One bat can eat between 600 and 1,000 mosquitoes and other insect pests in just one hour.

Almost all U.S. bats, and 70 percent of the bat species worldwide, feed almost exclusively on insects and are thus extremely beneficial. One bat can eat between 600 and 1,000 mosquitoes and other insect pests in just one hour.

I recently saw a story regarding bats in which the scientist stated that the bats eat their own body weight in insects every night. :shock: WOW!

I recently saw a story regarding bats in which the scientist stated that the bats eat their own body weight in insects every night. :shock: WOW!

Then we need more bats :wink:

Then we need more bats :wink:

I have two bats which feed in my yard, but I am not sharing.

The world's smallest mammal is the bumblebee bat of Thailand, weighing less than a penny.

Giant flying foxes that live in Indonesia have wingspans of nearly six feet.

The common little brown bat of North America is the world's longest lived mammal for its size, with life-spans sometimes exceeding 32 years.

Mexican free-tailed bats sometimes fly up to two miles high to feed or to catch tail-winds that carry them over long distances at speeds of more than 60 miles per hour.

The pallid bat of western North America is immune to the stings of scorpions and even the seven-inch centipedes upon which it feeds.

Fishing bats have echolocation so sophisticated that they can detect a minnow's fin as fine as a human hair, protruding only two millimeters above a pond's surface.

African heart-nosed bats can hear the footsteps of a beetle walking on sand from a distance of more than six feet.

Red bats that live in tree foliage throughout most of North America can withstand body temperatures as low as 23 degrees F. during winter hibernation.

Tiny woolly bats in West Africa live in the large webs of colonial spiders.

The Honduran white bat is snow white with a yellow nose and ears. It cuts large leaves to make "tents" that protect its small colonies from jungle rains.

Disk-winged bats of Latin America have adhesive disks on both wings and feet that enable them to live in unfurling banana leaves (or even walk up a window pane!).

Frog-eating bats identify edible from poisonous frogs by listening to the mating calls of male frogs. Frogs counter by hiding and using short, difficult to locate calls.

Vampire bats adopt orphans and have been known to risk their lives to share food with less fortunate roost-mates.

Male epauletted bats have pouches in their shoulders which contain large, showy patches of white fur that they flash during courtship to attract mates. Mother Mexican free-tailed bats find and nurse their own young, even in huge colonies where many millions of babies cluster at up to 500 per square foot.

I think someone may have gone a little batty.

Wonder what this bat eats?

I think someone may have gone a little batty.

Bats are my flying cousins.

The one I got covers 1 acre. You put it anywhere you want it & it is easily moved if needed. They kill the insects by attracting them to the machine & trapping them in a net. The machine runs on propane from a gas cylinder like the ones used on grills & it runs all the time. The tank will need changing about every 3 to 4 weeks.

Thanks for the info, JC!! This is a great help.

Do they attract all insects? If so, what will be the effects to other creatures in our environment that rely on these or other insects for their food source? I don't mind swatting a few, but the birds and frogs have to eat too.

I think the bulk of the yellow flies leave about the end of June (just from memory...I am getting old!) but there are always some to be found, just not in droves.
I believe all I've seen in my mosquitoe magnet is yellow flies & mosquitoes. I do not know how the environment is effected (good question) by these machines, I certainly would not want to cause harm to some of the things I enjoy most!

I think the bulk of the yellow flies leave about the end of June (just from memory...I am getting old!) but there are always some to be found, just not in droves.
I believe all I've seen in my mosquitoe magnet is yellow flies & mosquitoes. I do not know how the environment is effected (good question) by these machines, I certainly would not want to cause harm to some of the things I enjoy most!

Don't get me wrong. I don't like yellowflies and mosquitos. However, someone mentioned that these machines attract the insects from an area of 43,560+ sq ft. WOW! How big are your lots?

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own self interest, that we forget our impact to the environement. Remember back to 7th grade science classes (or was it 3rd grade?) when we learned the food chain? What happens when we destroy the food source for something in the food chain?

Just food for thougt on how we directly affect our environment. Personally, I like to see the frogs, lizards, birds and bats, and other creatures. Everthing in life is linked in some way. Think before you react.

Consider:

Do not kill anything unless it is about to eat you, or you are about to eat it.

If you cannot cut the head off of a bird with feathers, do not buy it neatly wrapped.

It should be natural, not taxing, to show compassion for all living things.

Hendrix is not God, but he might assist you in receiving a glimpse.

Consider:

Do not kill anything unless it is about to eat you, or you are about to eat it.

If you cannot cut the head off of a bird with feathers, do not buy it neatly wrapped.

It should be natural, not taxing, to show compassion for all living things.

Hendrix is not God, but he might assist you in receiving a glimpse.

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:
I would add that If you do not have the heart to cut the head off of any animal, do not buy it neatly wrapped.

--and I am not a vegetarian.

from my own personal june, july, august observations:

kill all the yellow flies/mosquitos you want
- there will be just more bigger ones as thinner population=less competition and better survivability

north wind=yellow flies, south wind = bigger waves

even normal seabreeze can pick up really dry sand and it stings just like tiny little needles when it hits bare skin hard enough

the true proper attire for northwest florida, especially at night, is: over the calf tube socks, sweat pants and a long sleeve hooded t-shirt, all in light gray or white - no skeeters or sunburn

troubled by bees, wasps or yellow jackets? - put out an just-about-empty beer bottle or two (not a can and preferably colorless glass, the cheaper the brand the better it works) slightly away from where you are working, especially when working with any sort of dead fish

too many (black) flies or other buzzy bugs? - hang a zip-lock bag half full of water in your entranceway

the more you water lawns and plants (or rain you get), the more mosquitos you will have, yellow flies come down from cattle country so are not affected by water, in fact they like it dry and hot

Anyone know the name of the special mosquito/fly repellent that they sell at Watercolor's store? It may come in other forms, but I recall it was in small towellette packets and the towelettes were reusable.