Face Flies and Horses

Multiple fly species may be present in and around equine facilities. Some of the more common pests include house flies, stable flies, horse flies, deer flies, face flies, and horn flies. Problems that may occur with our horses vary from minor itching, skin reactions, possible hair loss, extreme annoyance, and even blood loss and fatigue in excessive fly population situations. In our area the face flies have been noticeably more numerous and annoying than in recent years.

The face fly is a non-biting fly that feeds on animal secretions which quickly draws the pest to the horse’s face to feed on tears around the eyes and mucous around the nose and muzzle.  Their activity around the animals’ eyes allows face flies to serve as vectors of eye disorders such as pinkeye which may cause permanent damage and vision loss if unnoticed and left untreated. Extreme annoyance and agitation may also be noticed in animals that have numerous face flies present. They are also “facultative blood feeders,” which means that they do not bite and cause bleeding but may gather around wounds caused by mechanical damage or biting fly activity to feed on blood and other wound secretions.

Insecticidal control options for face flies include sprays and wipes. These usually provide rapid relief with varying lengths of control time. Masks have proven to be an effective barrier from face fly attacks for horses but should be monitored closely for fit and routine maintenance and allow for a breakaway feature such as velcro in case the horse decides to scratch and gets it caught on something.

An inclusive article on equine fly control that covers multiple fly species and management options can be found at the following link: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/PDFs/XF0276.pdf

Written by: Steve Lemons