Fly Control: Use a Barrel

Poor Izzy. He is having a devil of a time with the flies. Late summer is the absolute worst time for flies here in Bakersfield. Most of us joke that the flies are getting in their last hurrah before the cooler weather sets in. They come out in force, and they're particularly sticky and bothersome. They go for your eyes and ears and land on places from which you can't shoo them.

This barrel is his fly control.

Summer lasts a long time here in the Central Valley, and so does fly season. It won't get cooler for a while yet. And when fall finally does arrive, it will last approximately three days, and then winter sneaks in. The flies will be gone though.

The ranch owner uses Fly Predators, and I apply my fly spray liberally, but the flies still torment poor Izzy. When I showed up the other day, he was perched over his barrel gently rubbing the flies away from his belly. At the same time, he was nodding his head up and down trying to dislodge the flies that had made his noggin their home.

It's a toy again!

I grabbed my fly spray and climbed through the fence. I sprayed every inch of his body and let him rub his face on my shoulder until he was satisfied. He went back to his barrel, but this time it was to play. He grabbed it a few times and rocked it off the ground. He likes the thunk sound it makes as it stands back up.

No longer interesting.

And then he was over it. Once the flies had left him alone, he ditched his barrel in favor of standing by the fence, waiting for the stallion to come over and chat. 

I know both of us will be glad when summer is over.