Suggestions for something that will repel yellow flies please. When bitten by them, if I don't get to the meds quick enough, I end up in the emergency room. I'd really like to enjoy the flower garden and patio my husband and I just put in without being attacked by those buggers. It would be such a shame if I could only enjoy the garden by looking through a window.

Are you in Florida?
If so, then this looks like what will be good info for you. See this link and scroll down to Control:
http://pherec.org/entguides/EntGuide1.html

What on earth made you think that I was in FL? You are correct though, the beautiful city of Navarre. I will check out the site. Thanks.

A little searching about that pesky yellow fly revealed that FL is where they primarily are ;)

""Yellow-fly" bites are painful and may produce severe allergic reactions in some individuals. " so the site said. I am one of those individuals. It's good to know the worst part will be over by the end of June but I did get bitten on the 4th of July last year and swoll up like a balloon. Well, I'm off to buy a few beach balls seeing as how, unfortunately, half of my back yard is zoned wetlands. Anyone know how to get wetlands restrictions lifted?
Again, thank you so much Rick.

I went to the river with my husband the other day and these little pests were there and attacked me. The strange thing is I was the only one getting attacked by them, can you possibly tell me why that was? My legs and feet got bit and swoll up twice nearly three times the size they normally are, do you think I should have went to the doctor for the swelling? My hubby and I think that I am allergic to them. Thanks!

Melisa P.

Hi, Mim,
FL would have been my first guess, too. I am originally from a small town near Pensacola, and have been to Navarre many, many years ago. I am 64.
I haven't heard about Yellow Flies in years! But, I do remember them, believe me.
I haven't tried anything personally, such as Off Spray for mosquitos, but it might work to keep them away. I would also check with your Doctor, asking what he/she would suggest. Best of luck.

Hello all that are interested in this post.

Melissa I wear light colored clothes when outside, try to stay out of the shade and away from wet areas but those darn buggers search me out and attack. Others in your family probably did get bitten by yellow flies, but just like in my family, although they get bitten by the yellow flies (there are six of us), they are not allergic. The time my hand swelled up and became hot and the skin started turning dark, I headed for the ER. I got benadryl, steroids and some other drug. As the inflammation went away my hand all the way to my wrist became darker. After a few months it gradually went back to its normal color but that was scary. Now I keep prescription benadryl (diphenhydramine) in my purse.
So to summarize, it seems to me you are the allergic type like myself. Swelling in my opinion isn't the main issue unless let's say something like your wedding ring is about to cut off the circulation in your finger because your hand has swollen so much. That one almost sent me to the ER this year. I could still twist the ring so I didn't go. I still have my ring and my finger. Keep benadryl handy and if the body part that is bitten becomes red/inflamed or hot/warm to the touch, get to the doctor. You do not want the inflammation traveling throughout your blood stream. If you begin to have difficulty breathing get to the Doc or call 911. I haven't had a reaction that caused difficulty in breathing and pray I never do.
As for insect repellents I've tried Deep Woods Off and Cutters. They do not work for me where Yellow Flies are concerned. However I do prefer Deep Woods Off for keeping everything else away.
Fred, what's the name of the small town you're from if you don't mind? Navarre is quite different from what it was “many, many years ago”. It has grown so much.

What to do if bitten by a yellow flie and it is swallon real bad

We live on the Sopchoppy river in Florida. Every May - June (and sometimes even into July; the yellow flys come out and bite. I have tried everything under the sun from all the over the counter bug sprays' almost everyone, natural sprays and remedies; skin so soft etc. I am still searching and before I die (I'm still pretty young) I will come up with a formula to detract them.

If you wear long cool pants, hat and long sleeves you can protect yourself. But who wants to enjoy outside fully clothed. They like the heat of the body and even the heat of a car engine. After the sun almost sets they go in for the night and that is when I go out. I didn't swell before, but now I am beginning to get an allergic reaction. I am currently testing Skin so soft, bug guard plus IR3535 with disappearing color. The other night I used it and went out to water, I didn't get bite at all and one dropped on my foot and immediately flew away. The regular skin so soft bug guard plus expedition didn't work.
I am on a mission to find the secret. Apparently even Florida State can't find a repellent.

My email address is [email protected]. So if you want to check from time to time I will update you on my quest.

I live in North Carolina and I can tell you that Florida has nothing on us when it comes to yellow flies! My boss also has horses and the yellow flies have no mercy on them. One solution is this... and it works. Take a red plastic drinking cup and place fly paper sticky tape around the red cup. This is important! YELLOW FLIES MAINLY ATTACK THE HIGHEST MOVING OBJECT. Once my boss got the red cup ready, he placed two plastic pipes (this could be two long sticks of some kind) to the back and front of his golf cart so that it was about 2 feet above the golf cart. He then placed the red cup, upside down, over the top of the pipe. Once this is done, all he had to do was drive all around his pasture with the cups jiggling up top, and voilà! The cup will soon be filled with stuck yellow flies! Since yellow flies are territorial, they will attack and attack every time you go by until there are no more left in that area to attack. This can also be done using a baseball cap. The main thing to remember is they WILL ATTACK THE HIGHEST MOVING OBJECT and the object must be moving. I have not tried the hat trick, but logically speaking, the same principle applies. I do hope this helps someone because it has really helped us. And by the way... that I am aware of, sprays don't work, but we are land surveyors and a downey softener sheet stuck in the back of a baseball cap helps.

I have been bitten by this fly for years and just recently identified it! I usually am bitten on the feet and legs and I am very sensitive to the bites. My doctor ordered corticone based cream by prescription and I like to have a "pred pack" handy. The oral med works the best and the symptoms are controlled in a day. If I don't take the prednisone the bites last a week and become painful in 2 days. I usually get bitten once or twice a year, but this year! About 4 times already! I can't even get my shoes on. BYW I live in Jensen Beach, not anywhere near the panhandle.

Hi, my family went to Florida to visit family. While we were there my husband was bitten by a yellow fly. He has been complaining of pain from the bite for over a week now. Is this something that he needs antibiotics for? Please respond soon, thank you.

I live in Sopchoppy too. The wearing long pants and shirts does not work. They bite you through your clothes

I live in Port St. Joe, FL. The yellow flies are very bad here! Buy Burt's Bees all natural herbal insect repellent... IT WORKS!! Go to Natural Personal Care Products & Natural Skin Care Products - Burt's Bees

I had an incredible yellow fly problem a few years back. Within 5 minutes of being outdoors, you would have at least half a dozen bites. I had bought one of those Mosquito Magnets preparing for my normal mosquito swarm, so I thought might as well hook it up and see if I can trick a few flies as well. I had to move it around the yard a few times to find just the right spot, but the mosquito magnet running with the octenol bait cartridges pretty much eradicated the fly problem!:)

Yellow flies are demons! I hate those things! Will try the beach ball trick. Can't even walk my dogs or be outside at all! Very annoying. Live in Milton/Garcon Pt. FL

One post said that the "Absorbine Jr." product is somewhat effective in repelling them. However, this thread is four years old. Please ask any further questions in your own thread.

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