The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-07-26
THE HORN Fly.

/ N '''S' W post themselves as 10 its
lie and habits, says the Texas Farm
and Ranch.
The hrn fly is a native Of southern
Europe, and was introduced into the
United States with imported cattle about
seven years ago, and it has spread from
Canada to Texas. They fly is small
dark grey species, resembling the house
lily, but only about half its size. Not
outstanding the fact that there is n,
record of single animal being killed bv
these flies, by sucking the blood and the
lntoierable itching their bite produces.
cattle may be greatly reduced in flesh.
and inability to ward off other ills The
ravages of this pest is a serious matter
to cattle raisers, for it can reach the
! pocket otherwise Than by actually killing
the cattle. The insects increase very
rapidly in numbers, and they instinctiyely
settle upon such portions of the animal
which are least easily reached by the
! head or tail, such as the back, TANKS.
belly, and on the horns, where they con-
! gregate in dense masses, often forming a
complete black ring around the base of
the horn from two to four inches wide.
This habit gives the fly its common name
Of "hOm fly" But ;hey do no harm to
the horn. Neither do they attact any
other animals.
When biting cattle the flies work their
way beneath the hair and insert their
short agger-shaped trunk through the
skin and gorge themselves with blood of
their victims. These bites produce much
irritation, and the animals frequently
rub themselves against trees or other
| objects until sores of considerable size
are proHuced. The eggs are never laid
n these sores, but are always laid upon
the fresh droppings of the cattle, where
the maggots hatch. They feed only
upon the liquid substance of dung while
in a moist condition. These flies, like
all insects, pass through four stages
The egg, which is laid on the surface of
dung; the maggot or larva, which lives
inside it, and when full grown, descends
short distance into the ground and
changes to the puparium state; from
this in few days, in warm weather, the
perfect fly energies. From the egg to
the perfect insect, takes only two or three
weeks, and there are several brOods in
season. The last brood passes the win
ter beneath the soil in the puparium
state, and the flies emerge the following
spring. Upon their first appearance, all
should combine in a concerted effort to
reduce the numbers by treating the dung
so as to prevent the fly from breeding.
REMEDIES.
These are Of two kinds: ~ Preventive,
| or such as to keep the flies from biting
stock, and (2), active, or those which aim
at DESTROYING the insect in various stages.
For the first, the pplication of some
substance not injurious to the animals,
but obnoxious to the flies, is necessary.
! IT has been found that almost any cheap
oil will answer this purpose, and train
! oil. fish oil, tallow and axle grease, have
been extensively used. The addition of
little carbolic acid or oil of tar not only
! keeps flies away, but has healing effect
where sores have formed by the animals
rubbing. These substances may be added
| in the proportion of one ounce, (ab0ut
tablespoonful, to half gallon of oil,
and the mixture must be well mixed OF
shaken together before application. A
small quantity should be rubbed over
the beast with a sponge or cloth where
the flies gather most thickly
Kerosene emulsion, sprayed over the
animals by means of a force pump and
sDraving nozzle has also been used with
/ great success.
OF the second class, or active remedies
the most effecrual are those which secure
the destruction of the eggs and maggotS.
These exist only in the fresh, moist dung
OF cattle. A shovelful Of lime thrown on
COW dung has been found to destroy all
| the contained maggOts. Wood ashes
would answer even better and would be
/ valuable fertilizer for the pasture
where applied. Read dust or dry earth
would answer the purpose OF drying up
tbe moisture of the manure, which is
necessary for the maggots to live. The
/ surest way. perhaps, to deprive the mag
cots of the conditions necessary TO thelf
| @rowth and development will be to nave
1 the cattle droppings spread out with
1 shovel or the back of a rake once or
twice a week, so that the material may
div cut quickly in dry weather, or be
washed away into the soil during the
wet season.
500 Reward.