# flies are they a problem ?



## johnnyvegas (Sep 19, 2010)

just been reading another forum and was wondering are flies as much of a problem as the poster suggested ..............also what areas are worst affected.

I will be moving from the Dominican republic where we only have the occassional fly, but ive been to australia where they were a real problem .


So whats the fly situation in andalucia


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

johnnyvegas said:


> just been reading another forum and was wondering are flies as much of a problem as the poster suggested ..............also what areas are worst affected.
> 
> I will be moving from the Dominican republic where we only have the occassional fly, but ive been to australia where they were a real problem .
> 
> ...


don't know about Andalucia - but we've been plagued in Javea the past week or two


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

johnnyvegas said:


> just been reading another forum and was wondering are flies as much of a problem as the poster suggested ..............also what areas are worst affected.
> 
> I will be moving from the Dominican republic where we only have the occassional fly, but ive been to australia where they were a real problem .
> 
> ...


They seem to be annoying at certain times of the year but only for short periods - about a week or two. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Also remember that Andalucia is very big - you could well have different fly problems in different areas - e.g. coast/mountains.


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## johnnyvegas (Sep 19, 2010)

ah - only a couple of weeks , the way some brits complain about everything I was led to beleive it was the majority of the time.

Seems the nature of a message board to frighten people and focus on the bad


too many flies , too hot in summer , too cold in winter, cant buy stuff you want etc 
lol- Im suprised anyone lives there, you would say the same reading a dominican republic forum lol...too many murders


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Here it's usually an utter nightmare, although this year has been a lot better. Perhaps it was something to do with an increase in the wasps. If so I'll book more wasps for next year. Early spring & autumn are the worst here. If you're working outside , the more you sweat the worse it becomes , + they bite or stab you with their probe. No it's not good at all here.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

As Jimenato says, this really depends where you are. There is a thread on here somewhere about mosquitos, if you do a search you should find it.

We get very few flies, mosquitos or wasps where I am, up in the hills; the occasional swarm of flying ants but only for a couple of days. This is probably because it is quite windy.


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## johnnyvegas (Sep 19, 2010)

we get plagues of termites here after rain - the house gets full of the wings that drop off,so im fairly used to plagues lol and mosquitos, but flies can be more annoying


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## johnnyvegas (Sep 19, 2010)

doesnt sound good gus ....what are the positives lol


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

johnnyvegas said:


> ah - only a couple of weeks , the way some brits complain about everything I was led to beleive it was the majority of the time.
> 
> Seems the nature of a message board to frighten people and focus on the bad
> 
> ...


We're just into Murcia from Andalucia & I can assure you we are plagued with them from feb/ march until early dec. The best defence is to be in the sun & sky high temps, both of which they don't appear to like but if you step into the shade you're engulfed. Even going in the pool will result in swarms descending on you. You can't actually sit outside at all except dec. to feb. If you want to get in the car you have to wave your arms about while you open the doors & jump in & try to keep them out whilst you shut the door , because they are all over the vehicle.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> We're just into Murcia from Andalucia & I can assure you we are plagued with them from feb/ march until early dec. The best defence is to be in the sun & sky high temps, both of which they don't appear to like but if you step into the shade you're engulfed. Even going in the pool will result in swarms descending on you. You can't actually sit outside at all except dec. to feb. If you want to get in the car you have to wave your arms about while you open the doors & jump in & try to keep them out whilst you shut the door , because they are all over the vehicle.


Good grief, that sounds like a total nightmare! Forgive me for asking a silly question, but why did you move there? Did nobody warn you???


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Good grief, that sounds like a total nightmare! Forgive me for asking a silly question, but why did you move there? Did nobody warn you???


I think he's just trying to dissuade more expats from moving there:wink:


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Good grief, that sounds like a total nightmare! Forgive me for asking a silly question, but why did you move there? Did nobody warn you???


Didn't really notice them at the time , even though we looked at the place at least 6x. It wasn't 'tll I came over on the august bank holiday & was talking withe the neighbours son who said that the only thing he didn't like about living here was the heat & the flies. 
I've just been out to feed the 3 dogs & as the little one likes to wander off whilst eating I stay there to stop the big one from stealing his food when she's finished hers. They eat in a small north facing alcove, not a fly in it , after 2 mins there's dozens . It's not the food either as I painted the ceiling in there yesterday & started with no flies & was inundated in no time. I have to resort to spraying the whole area with fly spray & that gets rid of them for 10mins & carry on like that. 
What I want to know is, how do they know when you have both hands full & then they go straight in your ear ? :confused2:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Wretched things!!! At least they're a little dopey at this time of the year so they're easier to swat! Definitely more wasps this year too!!

Jo xxx


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

My daughter can have a problem with fruit flies.. she is surrounded by grape vines and fruit trees but in all honesty it is really only for a couple of weeks and there is never swarms of them despite having 3 dogs, 3 cats, 3 goats, 6 chickens, 3 hamsters and 3 children wandering all over the place. It is also very therapeutic to have one of those battery operated tennis rackets that zap the little blighter's.. great exercise too lol


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## johnnyvegas (Sep 19, 2010)

we have a company here that sprays the garden area when mozzies get too bad, it lasts about two weeks, but worth it if its only short periods that are bad ,.....is there anything similar in spain .........its like back strap device that blows out chemicals(probably more dangerous than the mozzieslol) but it keeps you bite free

another method invite a freind that gets bitten a lot, they home in on them and leave you alone lol


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

What I want to know is how to breed dragonflys that eat the flies & are a joy to watch.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> It is also very therapeutic to have one of those battery operated tennis rackets that zap the little blighter's.. great exercise too lol


I want one of those! Anyone know where you can get them? Do they work on people, or just flies?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I want one of those! Anyone know where you can get them? Do they work on people, or just flies?


chinese bazaar - 1-2 euros!


I wish they worked on grumpy daughters


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> chinese bazaar - 1-2 euros!
> 
> 
> I wish they worked on grumpy daughters


Ditto!!!! 

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Ditto!!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


one's hopping like a cricket in a bad mood (broken foot) & the other is just buzzing mad


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> one's hopping like a cricket in a bad mood (broken foot) & the other is just buzzing mad


My daughter hasnt moved from the sofa with her laptop all day! Ask her to do anything and its "tut, in a minute" ask her a question and its "dunno" Tell her that she needs to do something and its "whatever!" 


Jo xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

.......There that'll upset her, I've put a photo of her in "her usual position"!

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> What I want to know is how to breed dragonflys that eat the flies & are a joy to watch.


Divert a river to run through the garden??

They are beautiful, and their Spanish name is beautiful too -_ libélula_. They are also known as _caballito del diablo_ (little horse of the devil). We get the gigantic reddish-orange ones round here, and also lots of the smaller blue damselflies on the Bahia de Cadiz.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Divert a river to run through the garden??
> 
> They are beautiful, and their Spanish name is beautiful too -_ libélula_. They are also known as _caballito del diablo_ (little horse of the devil). We get the gigantic reddish-orange ones round here, and also lots of the smaller blue damselflies on the Bahia de Cadiz.


We have them around our swimming pool for some reason and THEY BITE!!!

Jo xxx


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Divert a river to run through the garden??
> 
> They are beautiful, and their Spanish name is beautiful too -_ libélula_. They are also known as _caballito del diablo_ (little horse of the devil). We get the gigantic reddish-orange ones round here, and also lots of the smaller blue damselflies on the Bahia de Cadiz.


Yes, I've had both this year but not enough.

Jo, you obviously don't have enough flies, I'll send some down !


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> We have them around our swimming pool for some reason and THEY BITE!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


Well, you learn something every day! They have sharp teeth!

But the good news is, they don't sting.
Do dragonflies bite?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

THEY DO BITE HUMANS. I HAVE BEEN BITTEN MORE THAN ONCE! Ok its not a serious bite, but I have definitely had one land on me and I've felt a pinch! FACT

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> THEY DO BITE HUMANS. I HAVE BEEN BITTEN MORE THAN ONCE! Ok its not a serious bite, but I have definitely had one land on me and I've felt a pinch! FACT
> 
> Jo xxx


Yes, that is exactly what it says in the article. They do bite, but they don't sting (i.e. they don't inject venom like wasps do).


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Yes, that is exactly what it says in the article. They do bite, but they don't sting (i.e. they don't inject venom like wasps do).


This is what the article says........



> "Do dragonflies bite people spontaneously?" A big resounding NO. A dragonfly would never land on someone and bite.


Not true!!!! LOL

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> This is what the article says........
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You are obviously especially tasty!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> You are obviously especially tasty!


I think I must be, the mozzies love me too LOL

Jo xxx


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

In 1975 or 1976 (they were both exceptionally hot summers) the coast of North Somerset was plagued with huge swarms of Ladybirds for about an hour at midday on several days. There were literally millions of the bug(ger)s.

They bit.

On telly one night, an 'expert' made himself famous for a few days by saying "Oh no, they don't bite, they just hold on very tightly with their jaws".


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jojo said:


> My daughter hasnt moved from the sofa with her laptop all day! Ask her to do anything and its "tut, in a minute" ask her a question and its "dunno" Tell her that she needs to do something and its "whatever!"
> 
> ......
> 
> Jo xxx


I can't stand that 'Whatever.....' reply.
Even my eighty-six year-old Auntie Nellie in Canada said it when I asked if she'd like to go out to dinner to celebrate her birthday


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## johnnyvegas (Sep 19, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> I can't stand that 'Whatever.....' reply.
> Even my eighty-six year-old Auntie Nellie in Canada said it when I asked if she'd like to go out to dinner to celebrate her birthday



did you leave her at home lol and go out and enjoy yourself


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Well here we have fly's of course but they have never been an issue, annoying they can be but this year they arrived very late (almost June for some odd reason)
I have noticed that if we visit anyone who has animals (excluding cats) there are a good deal more fly's (quite a lot more)
Should you live very near a pig farm etc then they will try to carry you off given half a chance.


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