LinB, look at this......... | Arthritis Information
Catnip Oil Repels Bloodsucking Flies
Main Category:
VeterinaryArticle Date: 10 Dec 2010 - 2:00 PST
Catnip, the plant that attracts domestic cats like an irresistible force, has proven 99 percent effective in repelling the blood-sucking flies that attack horses and cows, causing billion in annual loses to the cattle industry. That's the word from a report published in ACS' biweekly
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Junwei Zhu and colleagues note that stable flies not only inflict painful bites, but also transmit multiple diseases. Cattle harried by these bloodsuckers may produce less meat and milk, have trouble reproducing, and develop diseases that can be fatal. All traditional methods for controlling stable flies - even heavy applications of powerful insecticides - have proven less than effective. The scientists thus turned to catnip oil, already known to repel more than a dozen families of insects, including house flies, mosquitoes and cockroaches.
They made pellets of catnip oil, soy, and paraffin wax, and spread them in a cattle feedlot. Within minutes, the pellets shooed the flies away, with the repellent action lasting for about three hours. Pellets without catnip oil, in contrast, had no effect. The scientists now are working on making the repellent action last longer, which they say is the key to putting catnip to use in protecting livestock both in feedlots and pastures.
ARTICLE: "Repellency of a Wax-Based Catnip-Oil Formulation against Stable Flies"
Source:
Michael Bernstein
American Chemical Society
WOW.....not sure what to do with this information except to pass it along to our cattle ranching friends.Well,
I thought that it was you that I was talking to about biting flys while I was walking in the marshland last summer. Must have been someone else. I'll have to do a search. I beg your pardon.
LEV
Eeenteresting...... I produce a nice little crop of super-potent "home grown" 'nip to feed the habit of my herd of felines and to give to friends and local shelters. I might work on various concoctions next year and test them on my neighbors' horses! Wasn't me Lev but useful info. for someone. LindyLinB,
LEV
I wonder how it works for ants? I read that cinnamin spread around the outside of your house worked well for ants.
I tried it but then I wanted to leave also. I like the smell of cinnamin in small doses. Outside in large doses can get a bit anoying. It did seemed to really work well but I like to enjoy the freshair also.
I did it around the end of aunt season so I will get a better idea how often it needs to be repeated this year. The anoying part seems to fade off after two or three days.
I don't know about that Milly, but I am sure going to use it against the biting flys. they are so fast and tenacious. They fly around your head very fast and then quickly land bite and buzz around. Land bite and fly around until they get the blood started and then suck up the blood. They turn and enjoyable time outside into a combat zone. About ants, gosh they are like cockroaches. They overcome all obstacles.
LEV
Truely I understand we call them horse flies others call them other things. They make me itch for a week when I get bit.
I try to stay in or ware long sleeves during the horse fly season. We get them bad around May I think?
Lev, OMG I forgot about that long discussion....I'm getting old and forgetful and I don't like it!!!!! I had absolutely no recollection of that post!!!!! I haven't used catnip for anything other than the cat's enjoyment. We're not bothered with horse flys here in Nevada or at least in the area that we live. We have cattle and horses all around us but the flys leave us alone. My problem is mosquitos and my blend work well to keep them away. Lindy
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com