Same here. They don’t seem to be phased by the lights at all.
I agree. They are persistent biters and it seems like only CO2 traps can manage them.
Anyone have alternative suggestions for getting rid of deer flies?
I’ve tried natural repellents and they help a bit. Things like essential oils can deter them somewhat.
I’ve found that a combination of repellents and sticky traps seems to work best for me.
Interesting discussion! @ScienceBuffBen is right about CO2 being the key. I’ve found deer flies completely ignore my zapper but swarm around my propane mosquito trap that emits CO2.
Has anyone tried those blue cup traps with sticky surfaces? They seem to work better than zappers for deer flies in my experience.
@EcoWarrior makes a great point about activity times. Deer flies are diurnal while most zapper-effective insects are nocturnal. Different hunting strategies entirely
I’ve noticed deer flies are attracted to movement more than anything. They’ll chase you for blocks but ignore stationary zappers completely.
Would adding a heat source near the zapper help? Since they’re attracted to warm-blooded animals, maybe mimicking body heat could work?
After reading this thread, I’m returning my expensive zapper. Sounds like it’s useless against the biting flies that actually bother me!
@BugByte There’s actually a 2023 study in the Journal of Medical Entomology showing deer flies showed zero attraction to UV light in controlled tests.
For hiking, I swear by those sticky hat strips. Not elegant, but they catch dozens of deer flies that would otherwise be biting my head!
Focus on eliminating breeding sites (damp soil near water) rather than trying to zap adults. Prevention beats cure with these pests.
Old farmer trick - tie a dark blue tarp coated in motor oil between two trees. The flies are attracted to the color and get stuck. Messy but effective!