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The Flying Tench

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I find the insects are pretty active at this time of year, meaning I get through a lot of antihistamine cream! But how do they get where they do? A lot of my latest bites are round my thighs. Doubtless because I sit in a low chair. But how do they get through my clothes? Do they climb up my trouser leg (in which case I guess I should put insect repellent round my ankles?) or can they bite through clothes? Any ideas?

john clarke

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Bites low down on the body and at this time of year are a dead giveaway.

Here's your culprit.

I'm only surprised that you didn't feel the bites 'cause they ain't subtle.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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Tench,

 

Horseflies are certainly an option on this side of the pond. However, you can usually spot them in the area even if you don't see the one that gotcha. In my case I'd first look for one of these two critters. I don't know if you even have them in the UK - First chiggers - second tree mites. Depending on the region of the US ants can be very aggressive also. These always seem to end up in creases or folds of skin in tight places.

 

A word of caution - in most cases another word for insect repellent is "fish-b-gone".

 

Phone

 

​Do anglers use "flowers of sulphur" in the UK? ( I believe that is an American spelling?)

 

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Jungle Formula repellent spray is very effective against mozzies, though not sure about Horse flies??

I'm guessing any biting Insect would find this stuff abhorrent.Alternatively, try those curly wrist/ankle bands which are impregnated with Citronella, a really strong Lemony odor, which again works very well.
I've just looked at the Jungle Formula bottle & it does say for Biting Insects; so might well be effective for Horse flies after all.
Can spray it on clothing as well as skin.

Here's the Citronella concentrated spray - some people can't do Deet.

And (it says) - it's effective against those Horse flies!!

 

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj1zsqPmNnbAhXMv-0KHc1KDr0YABAVGgJkZw&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=CAASEuRoo7ALTmGCSHl28MlE2Qk0XA&sig=AOD64_1TCo0ztRtIkTnzq89hip8u7RUjcw&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwj7isWPmNnbAhVIJcAKHflLBlgQ9aACCFU&adurl=

Edited by Martin56

Fishin' - "Best Fun Ya' can 'ave wi' Ya' Clothes On"!!

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Or a couple of bicycle clips ,hopefully your not a shorts wearer?

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Or a couple of bicycle clips ,hopefully your not a shorts wearer?

I've NEVER been bitten by a horse fly (yet) & wonder if they're attracted by individual's ablution habits??

 

I avoid cream shower gels when on holiday abroad - especially the ones which contain honey!! & stick to citrus types.

 

They seem to help re avoiding bites along with the repellents.

 

I even wonder if people on certain Life Time Medication, (Like Me) inadvertently enjoy a level of protection??

Edited by Martin56

Fishin' - "Best Fun Ya' can 'ave wi' Ya' Clothes On"!!

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They're mainly visual hunters so shampoo or meds are unlikely to make a difference.

They can be present in large numbers but they can also be incredibly localised and if you're fishing wooded areas away from livestock, you're unlikely to be bothered.

 

The other biting insect that can occasionally be a real problem is what we used to refer to simply as blackflies but which are also called Blandford fly.

I've had bites occasionally on the Teme but years ago fished the Tame near Kingsbury and we were driven off the river.

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Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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I've NEVER been bitten by a horse fly (yet) & wonder if they're attracted by individual's ablution habits??

 

I avoid cream shower gels when on holiday abroad - especially the ones which contain honey!! & stick to citrus types.

 

They seem to help re avoiding bites along with the repellents.

 

I even wonder if people on certain Life Time Medication, (Like Me) inadvertently enjoy a level of protection??

You will know if its a horse fly even horses jump when bitten ,theres also grass fleas ,ants and lady birds to consider as well as the fly similar to a greenbottle they bite you through clothes!

Look out for a bullseye mark (not always present) and if spotted off to your doc sharpish Lyme isnt a nice disease my son has it as does a neighbour ,to many deer not being eaten!

  • Like 1

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

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Just got back from a holiday in Saundersfoot. We stayed in the same place last year and did the coastal walk to Tenby. Got absolutely murdered by horseflies. So when we did the walk again this year, I covered myself in DEET and took overtrousers and a jacket. I don't think the DEET got a fair test, because I kept covered up most of the time (despite sweating like a pig in the heat) but I managed not to get bitten. Having done a little reading, it appears that DEET works because it binds to one of the proteins which is a core part of odour detection in insects. They can't smell us. But as Ken says, horseflies primarily hunt by sight, not smell.

I react badly to horsefly bites, and it seems to be getting worse. I got bitten a couple of weeks ago, in my own garden. I caught it biting my left leg, but when I looked it had already had a good chomp on my right (bleeding wound). This is what my legs looked like the next day.

 

41972459905_ee9e993e1e_k.jpg

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Thanks everyone. In my case I don't think it's horse flies. There's no actual pain, just a small pink spot that itches when I get home. Certainly not as nasty as a Blandford fly. Maybe a mozzie?

 

As phone says, I am hesitant with fly repellant as if it gets on the hands it can also be fish repellent. Does anyone know if mozzie's can bite through clothing?

john clarke

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