# Any way to prevent bot flys from laying eggs?



## Chevaux

Seems to me, I remember someone saying they wiped down their horses`legs with mineral oil. Unfortunately, I don`t remember if it was successful or not but at least it would be easier to put on than Vaseline. I think it would create a non stick surface so might be worth an experiment.


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## SaddleStrings

That's what I was thinking, if it made the hair slippery, then the flys couldn't lay their eggs. Just any idea.


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## Jore

I'll have to subscribe to this thread as I'm curious too.. Major gets plenty of them, and it takes a good five minutes to get most of them off.

Also, dogs can get them as well.. although it's not nearly as common. Just recently, my 5lb Papillon had to get a larvae removed from her leg as she somehow managed to get an egg laid on her and we never noticed so we couldn't get it off in time. We originally thought it was a bug bite, but after asking around online, I found out what it was and we got her to the vet.


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## SaddleStrings

What about Swat? Could that be applied to the legs and repel bots?


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## Palomine

Best is good grooming, and keeping horse's area as fly free as possible. Fly spray, cleaning stall, and checking for eggs, and removing them.

And worming too helps, with a boticide.


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## walkinthewalk

Bot flies don't land on the horse - they shoot those ugly eggs out of their tail shoot - like a torpedo - and that is no joke.

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/LM-10-3.pdf

Notice in this link, the words "while hovering" are used:-( Point-being there isn't a fly spray made that keeps them from laying eggs on the horse.

What I have noticed is that it seems every other day is "Busy egg laying day". I also notice that, as we get closer to Fall, the stickier the "stick-um" is that holds the eggs onto the horse. I deal with bot flies during the entire warm season and have noticed the eggs don't stick on the horse near as well in late spring as they do when we're getting closer to Fall.

*The above link also talks about nose and throat bot flies.* The eggs left in the nose and throat area can't get licked so how do they get into the horse's system one might ask? They crawl their own way into the mouth<--just when you thought things couldn't get any worse.

I see them on my horses' jowels every year - some years worse than others.

Except for attracting dirt, the mineral oil is a good idea.

I will also use it or some kind of ointment on the jowels just in case I missed any bot eggs in that area. 

I also keep that hair shaved pretty close so they're easy to find. Which works for finding ticks, as well:-(


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## NorthernMama

I was just thinking about this the other day as I scraped some eggs off my mare. I'm lucky, she's bay and the eggs are easy to see. For those of you with light coloured horses, I was thinking that to remove them, I wonder if you could do vinegar mixed with oil. That's what helps with removing lice eggs from human hair, so I thought it might work for bot eggs too. Apparently the vinegar kills them and the oil makes it too slippery to stick around.


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## kait18

i put mineral oil on the legs and neck and chest area where mine usually get them. when it comes to scraping them off they are alot easier to get since they are sitting on the oil..

it saves me a huge amount of time grooming wise sometimes all i need is a rag and rub them off.


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## xJumperx

We have never had a single bot fly egg on a horse - could someone tell me if they are more uncommon in KY? What should I be watching out for, given something pops up?


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## kait18

xJumperx said:


> We have never had a single bot fly egg on a horse - could someone tell me if they are more uncommon in KY? What should I be watching out for, given something pops up?


little yellow specs on your horses leg/chest/neck sometimes in manes. 
literally are ugly yellow spots which are eggs on the horses


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## Celeste

I used to have them all the time. I have been really diligent about giving ivermectin in the winter time to every horse on the property while the bot flies are in the horse's stomach. This has eliminated the problem because there are no larva to hatch out into adult bots. This worked for me because my horses are the only horses in our immediate area. For it to work, all horses in a given area would need to be treated.


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## Saddlebag

10W30 motor oil. Better yet dirty motor oil. Wipe it on the hair trying not to rub it in. Dirty looking yes but does the job. Also deters those heels flies that can start a stampede. If you don't mind red, you can also use oil for chainsaws. it's mainly sugar but has absolutely no appeal to anything as a treat. It's about $6 for 3 quarts. These oils will wash out with baby shampoo. We tried it as that's all we had that was mild enough for a horse.


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## wetrain17

I noticed them while grooming last night as well. I haven't seen them in YEARS, guess its time to find my bot knife.


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## jaydee

*bots*

I think all the modern wormers must have had something to do with the numbers of Bot flies these days as I dont seem to have anything like as many
covering the legs with anything oily/greasy stops the eggs from sticking so you can wipe them off easily - Baby Oil works as well as anything but dont forget the problem with these horrible things is when they get into the stomach not when they are stuck on the legs or elswhere. This happens when they get knocked off into the grass or when the horse scratches or licks at its legs with its teeth/tongue so worming with the right product after the last frosts is still the thing to do even if you are really vigilant about removing them


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## NorthernMama

Motor oil? Chain oil? I think not.


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## WesternBella

HOW DO YOU GET THOSE **** THINGS OFF??!?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NorthernMama

I use a blade for a construction knife to scrap them off -- CAREFULLY. There are also bot knives you can buy, but I figure it's still just a blade. Why buy something just because its name suits the job, when you can buy something cheaper and more versatile that will still do the job.


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## SaddleStrings

I've been using baby oil for the past few days now, seems to be reducing the number of eggs that I have to scrape off. Thinking that just some show sheen would work too, without the dirt attracting grease of the baby oil. Motor oil? I don't know if that's a great idea in case my horses get some in their mouths? 

But whatever y'all do, don't look up botfly removal on YouTube, I have the creepy crawlies now! There all kinds of botfly larvae being removed from kittens and people and dogs, freaks me right out that I'm gonna get a botfly under my skin!!! Ewwwwww


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## gunslinger

While I haven't used "burnt" motor oil on horses it's long been used as a cure for mange on dogs.

I think most used, or "burnt" motor oil is high in sulfur and the few times I've used it on dogs it's worked well.


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## Saddlebag

For about 10 years there were so many additives in engine oil but most have been eliminated. The horses don't ingest it as they don't seem to get itchy. All biting insects are deterred from biting. It needs to be applied every 3 days. Put on old clothes as the stains don't come out. I also pour it into the tail and let them slap it on themselves and whoever the horse stands head to tail with. They oil each other.


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## HorseCrazyTeen

You can rub the bot eggs off with a pumice stone if you are uncomfortable using a knife. Also, there is a product called "Ovitrol" spray that kills the eggs on contact so that they can never hatch. If you keep it applied during bot fly season, the eggs will die as soon as they land on the horse. (Also kills fleas, ticks, mosquitos, mites, etc.) Great stuff. 

I saw on YouTube where bots had burrowed into a lady's chest and they had to dig out those maggots from the giant holes with tweezers. So yeah, I wouldn't go on YouTube to find bot fly info!! You'll be all kind of grossed out.


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## OutOfTheLoop

I got curious and had to go look after reading this . *barf*
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Lockwood

Not much activity here yet with them. I keep the horse sprayed with a really obnoxious smelling, but effective fly spray and the flies don't want to get near him.
The donkeys on the other hand HATE anything with a scent, so fly spray is out. In late spring they both started getting the little midgies really bad, so I started coating them once a week with vasaline ywhere they were being bothered. 
Goey, yes... but very effective in keeping the midgies and flies away.
I don't see any bot eggs on them yet either.


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## Cat

xJumperx said:


> We have never had a single bot fly egg on a horse - could someone tell me if they are more uncommon in KY? What should I be watching out for, given something pops up?



You are probably just not noticing them - they are here in KY right now. Some were out earlier in the year, then they seemed to have disappeared but this last week they are out with a vengeance. Nasty things.

As to the video with the burrowing bot larva - thankfully its a different type of bot!


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## Ponies

So the ones on the horses burrow or not? This is the first year ive had to deal with them, or heard that they were in the area. I'm freaked out.


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## LuvMyPerlinoQH

xJumperx said:


> We have never had a single bot fly egg on a horse - could someone tell me if they are more uncommon in KY? What should I be watching out for, given something pops up?


 I am in Kentucky and we have them they are a pita to the horses mine get as grumpy with them as they do the horse flies if you see them stamping their feet and in a pretty bad mood look around the legs you should see a bee looking fly.


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## AnnaHalford

A tiny bit OT, but my last dog came to me as a puppy and I squeezed out more than thirty burrowed bot larvae... off one puppy... Buueeerrrk. 

On the horse front, I scrape them off with a razor blade. I can't see the point either of buying a special knife - it's just a blade edge you want. I'm going to look for this Ovitrol stuff now, though.


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## Saddlebag

You can also use chain saw oil which is red and farily cheap. It's mainly sugar. It too deters flies. I apply it, or car oil, mainly to the lower legs.


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## Celeste

The horse bots eggs are laid on their legs. The horse bites at and ends up swallowing them. The fly larva spend their time in the horse's stomach, causing gastritis all winter. Then they pass out in the manure and start the cycle all over.


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## NorthernMama

Cat said:


> You are probably just not noticing them


Actually, it is possible not to have them. This is the first year I have seen them here since I got horses here. That's about 5 or 6 years now. Where I was previously, we had them every year, some worse than others.

I still don't buy the motor oil solution. Ok, it might work -- probably does actually, but I am not putting poison on my horse when there are other options. I don't want the horse to eat it, nor do I want it in my fields.


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## SueNH

I don't get them every year either. I think I must be at the northern edge of their range. It was really mild last winter so I'm watching for them. I've only spotted eggs 3 times since moving up here from LI, NY. In NY I would get them without fail.
I still worm for them every fall. Yucky gross things.


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## trailhorserider

Are the eggs/larva immune to fly spray? Would fly spraying the eggs kill them?

Obviously I will remove all I can but sometimes you miss a few because they are tiny and scattered. I always wondered if the fly spray would halt them from hatching or getting into the horse?

I am thinking of trying the pumice stone idea. I JUST noticed bot eggs for the first time yesterday on one of my horses (the dark one of course). I HATE trying to find those little eggs on my gray mare. They are really hard to see because of her light color. :evil:


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## Cat

NorthernMama said:


> Actually, it is possible not to have them. This is the first year I have seen them here since I got horses here. That's about 5 or 6 years now. Where I was previously, we had them every year, some worse than others.
> .



Yeah but you are way up north. The person I was responding to is down here in Kentucky. I swear bots are our state bird.


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## PaintedFury

If it wasn't for the chemist at the last place I worked, I would not know this. Motor oil is mineral oil with a color additive to give it the yellowish/golden tent. I can't discuss why I know this, but that is what we found out. so technically using motor oil (unused) is no different than when you have to tube and oil your horse if it is colicing. Just FYI. At least the oil that is not synthetic is.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NorthernMama

Cat said:


> Yeah but you are way up north. The person I was responding to is down here in Kentucky. I swear bots are our state bird.


Well, I may be "way up north" but it doesn't have much to do with that. I don't live in a igloo (yet!) :lol: Places just a couple of hours away from here will have bots regularly, while I and my neighbours don't. Latitude doesn't play a huge role in it, IMO. Unless we are comparing equatorial locations to north of the tropic of capricorn (or south of cancer I guess also). Bots can survive winters easily.


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## BossHoss

xJumperx said:


> We have never had a single bot fly egg on a horse - could someone tell me if they are more uncommon in KY? What should I be watching out for, given something pops up?


Getting in on this kind of late, but was working with a mare in Henderson, KY. She had bot fly eggs on her. My Ol' Kentucky home is not spared!


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## Saddlebag

Why the engine oil works is it stops the bots from laying eggs on the horse's front legs. The bot bites the horse at the time it deposits the eggs. Horse tries to grab at the bot, bingo, it's ingested the eggs. Those you are seeing on the horse's legs are the ones he's missed. Those do not migrate thro the skin. Their life cycle is to get into the horse's cheeks inside his mouth then gradually work their way to the esophagus where their path of destruction continues.


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