Yellow Flies | How to Protect Yourself

Yellow Flies

When Yellow Flies bite, the results can be painful if you are allergic to the anti-blood clotting chemical they inject in you to keep the blood flowing. It’s that time of year again! We saw our first yellow flies last week. In our family of four, two of us have allergic reactions to the bites. For the other two, the flies and bites are very annoying, especially when you feel like they are dive bombing you.

Here in the 30A area of NW Florida, every late spring, around June, we get inundated with Yellow Flies for about 6 weeks, if you are anywhere near vegetation like trees, shrubs or bushes. The males feed on plant nectar  and the females feed on blood, much like mosquitos. In the late spring, you will commonly see black balls in yards, covered with sticky glue which never dries. Supposedly, the Yellow Flies are drawn to the color black and attracted to the movement as the ball spins or moves with the wind. However, the black balls don’t do much to stop the yellow flies which are not stuck on the balls. Don’t catch yourself unprepared if you are going on a hike or bike ride through the state forest, or shaded streets or trails in our area!

I’ve tried making my own concoctions such as vinegar with lemon and eucalyptus essential oils, which works okay on Black Flies which we get in October. However,  I have found only one product which actually works to effectively repel Yellow Flies. And, no, it’s not Cactus Juice. Cactus Juice may work to help repel mosquitoes, but that’s about it.  Many years ago, I discovered Swamp Gator at a local hardware store. I tried it and haven’t used anything since, because Swamp Gator works so well. Swamp Gator is the only effective repellant I have found to keep away Yellow Flies.

Swamp Gator works to repel Yellow Flies, Dog Flies (Black Flies we have in October), No-See-Ums, Gnats and Mosquitos. Swamp Gator is made of natural ingredients including Geraniol, Soybean Oil, Rosemary Oil, Peppermint Oil and Geranium Oil. This stuff works. If you have delicate skin, spray on clothing, rather than directly on skin, because it’s potent. Click below to purchase a few bottles and have it delivered directly to you in two days with Amazon Prime account. We keep a bottle in each car and on every porch and at the house. If you have a boat, buy one or two to keep in boat also.