Horde of the Flies

One of the things you have to expect in summer on a farm is flies. This year, we’ve had a lot more than usual. By “a lot,” I mean hordes and hordes of flies. Millions! Gazillions, maybe.

My dog kennel adjoins the mares’ pasture and is a bout a quarter mile from the dairy farm’s cow pasture. Across the road is another cow pasture. Plus the kennel has food served al fresco twice a day and has the usual, uh, output of four and a half dogs. (Maggie, the designated house dog, is only a part-time kennel resident.) Naturally the kennel would be a fly mecca. But this year it’s seen a lot more flies than in previous years.

Anyhow, while buying horse feed at the Bedford Farm Supply, I saw this fly trap which purports to hold 10,000 flies. When I was paying for it, the clerk commented that this was the worst fly season he’d ever seen.

Ten days ago, my husband hung the trap from a limb on the kennel’s silver maple—high enough so Maggie can’t reach it. It’s now over three-quarters full—the fly level has reached the top of the label. I’m guessing at least 8,000 flies so far.

Anybody want to count ’em?