Black, brown, or black and white biting flies about ½ to 1 inch long are present around the home. They are especially bothersome in areas where horses and domestic animals are common.
These flies, including several species of horseflies and deerflies, attack humans and domestic animals in rural and suburban areas. The female flies deposit their eggs in still pools of water, in moist soil, or on vegetation. The larvae feed on other insects or decaying vegetation, and pupate in damp plant debris. The adult flies inflict painful bites that often continue to bleed after the fly has left. Some people bitten by horseflies may suffer from fever and general illness.
Keep doors and windows tightly screened. Spray outdoor living areas with ORTHO Outdoor Insect Fogger or ORTHO Home & Garden Insect Killer--Formula II. Kill biting flies indoors by spraying with ORTHO Household Insect Killer--Formula II, ORTHO Home & Garden Insect Killer--Formula II, or ORTHO HI-POWER Indoor Insect Fogger--Formula IV. Apply insect repellent to the skin. Repellent may be purchased at drugstores. Remove fly breeding areas by cleaning up stagnant pools of water and wet, decaying vegetation around the yard.