# crab flies????



## kails71 (14 July 2008)

does anyone know how to get rid of crab flies???? a pony picked them up after a few days on the moors, any help much appreciated, thanks


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## Natch (14 July 2008)

Oh good god I really hope they're not the same as the ones they have in Spain, they are horrible.  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 They have a hard shell so you can't squash them, to kill them you have to squish them with your fingernail through the shell. They bite and hang on, poor horses go mad because they can't get them off.  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 They're a bit like ticks, they suck blood and fall off to digest it. 

If you find one on your horse best way to deal with it is to cover with a sieve to stop escape, and squirt a strongly made up washing up liquid solution on them - this either kills them or renders them helpless and makes them drop off, (sorry can't remember which) then you squish them with fingernail (or something else sharp if you're too squeamish for that) to make sure they are killed.  
	
	
		
		
	


	





The good news is if it is the same fly, that we had a good few days in Spain dealing with them when a visiting horse brought them with it and we got rid of them completely, so you should be able to do the same.  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Gah, horrible horrible things, although apologies if I've got completely the wrong bug!!


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## kails71 (14 July 2008)

theyre about the size of your little finger nail, flat and black, poor little ponies going mad!!! thanks


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## RachelB (14 July 2008)

That sounds like a crab fly to me, Naturally! Awful creatures, they make my pony squirm and you can see them making "tracks" under her coat like a deer wandering through a corn field 
	
	
		
		
	


	




We were plagued with them two summers ago, only way I found to deal with them was to grab hold of them (guiding them into my fingers with a hoof pick end) and squish them quick before they bury up under my fingernails 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 yuck yuck yuck!!!
I also had to avoid the local woods (best hacking ground round here) as they would attack us (they seemed to live in the oak trees mostly) 
	
	
		
		
	


	




Sorry not much help, just sympathy really!


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## Natch (14 July 2008)

Good lord I never knew we had them in this country. Yeuck! 

I thought our forest was baaaad for flies but (touches wood frantically) I haven't had any problems with them.

uuuurrgh!


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## merlinsquest (14 July 2008)

Dermoline insecticidal shampoo  killed the keds that merlin got two years ago.   Nasty little scuttling sideways thing.... that could be the same as a crab fly for all i know.....


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## lucym (14 July 2008)

there are lots dartmoor way
	
	
		
		
	


	




 have to squish the little sweethearts, they really are the work of the devil


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## saskia295 (14 July 2008)

Ah, other people that understand! I thought those God awful creatures were just made in the New Forest. Aren't they horrible?! 

My horse doesn't mind them too much but when one lands on me I have a fit - URGH!!!!


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## kails71 (14 July 2008)

thanks, squishing them seems to be the way forward! anything to make the ponies more comfortable, one brought them back from dartmoor and gave them to the others. they are horrible, thank you everyone!!!


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## scrat (14 July 2008)

I'm in the New Forest and have found these beasties to be almost indestructable! They tend to scuttle about and get up between the horses back legs and under the tail. My tip is to apply some thickish cream such as udder cream or sudocrem to these areas. The crabflies then cant grip and the greasiness keeps them from those areas. Our horses have become more tolerant and don't have quite such a hissy fit when they have one. I don't think there is a fly repellant that works on them. Also if you try and catch one put a bit of greasy cream/ vasoline or similar on your fingers first, they will be immobilised by this and then you can squish them before they escape! You may need to bash with a hammer as they are really are tough little critters.


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## Cuffey (13 May 2009)

We dont have crab flies but little black flies which hang and bite inside their ears and round their privates--there is always blood when you remove them
Echo sudocreme--in the ears and on and infront of the sheath, it definitely helps and soothes any existing bites


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