Fly repellant!!

Does anyone know of any natural fly repellant? i've plated some wormwood plant in the greenhouse and were going to hang it from the tops of the buns runs (6ft high) it is a natural fly and midge repellant but i wondered if anyone new of anything else??

You can get lavender sprays which keep flies at bay...failing that Lavender Straw and/or Sawdust has been said to help in the summer. No idea where you would get the straw from though :roll:

Many thanks rachelX

Wormwood is highly toxic ....... if you want to use it make sure that it is well out of contact with your buns and if you are hanging it make sure that it is not over them and that no parts can fall off an be eaten.

This herb was once used the French drink Absinthe and was the reason that the drink was banned .....the drink is now back on the market but no longer contains any wormwood. In the movie "Moulin Rouge" I think Kylie played the Absinthe fairy as it gave hallucinations, but also causes brain damage in humans.

I would stick to edible herbs like lavender as Fluffybunny says or maybe mint, I think all types of mint are safe to used except pennyroyal but peppermint is the best, or else rosemary, the plant is on special offer at the moment in most garden centres!.

You can use essential oil versions of these too ...... add a few drops to water and soak an old cloth, ribbon etc. in it (but again if you are going to place over the buns, make sure that it is not too damp to still be dripping.

Citronella oil is very effective on both flies and mossies (a close cousin of the midge).

Hope this gives a few ideas.

Many thanks conny i did not know that about wormwood, I'll be very careful

Yes, Dynamite is a good herbal fly repellent and it smells gorgeous. It is natural as well, and you can even use it on yourself!

Clare

net curtains attached to the mesh on hutches and runs are good at keeping nasties away.

Thanks guys this is a big help, my mum was with me when we baught the wormwood seed and i just said to her about 10 mins ago '' did you now that wormwood was highly toxic and used to be used in absinth?'' and my mum replied '' oh yes i knew that but if we make sure the buns can't get it it'll be fine!'' really stupid woman she coulda told me before i bought it!!!!!! i'll put it outside the runs where the buns can't even get a fallen leaf anf that way i'll be sure that they can't get harmed, what was the other thing conny, citrinella oil? where would i get that?

Yeah the trouble with most natural fly repellant is that they are dangerous to animals (humans included!) .....other dangerous plants like wormwood are rue, tansy and pennyroyal....there are other ones as well, so if you want to use one I'll check if you'd like.

Citronella (latin name is Cymbopogon nardus) is related to Palmarosa and also the more common Lemongrass (used a lot in Asian cooking).
Citronella has a citrus, musky, green smell ...... and once you know it is unmistakable ....I lived in the South of France for more than 5 years and as it is mosquito heaven you will find citronella in many many products designed to keep mossies at bay, but usually in things like candles and garden cushions etc., etc.

Not sure what you get it in here but it is one of the essential oils you can get from Tisserand (pharmacies usually have or will order them and you can always get it online). In the meantime you could use fresh lemongrass from any supermarket. Though as all the DIY shops have their summer stuff you could try B&Q/Homebase/gardencentres for it as the oil or products using the oil would be cheaper than fresh lemongrass.

Will be happy to help if you have any more herb/essential oil queries as it a hobby of mine.

Many thanks conny i shall do some investigating at homebase

I have recently bought a citronella based fly repellant block that I intend to put up in the bunny shed once the flies start to emerge. I bought it from a local garden centre.

Brilliant toowsbuns! how much was that? the fly's have already emerged up here and they are bugging the buns!!

i find that tea tree oil is great getting rid of fly's and midge's, Just place a little dish of it on top of the hutch (out of bunny's reach) and it should do the trick! Works great on humans too!!!

Phill said:

Brilliant toowsbuns! how much was that? the fly's have already emerged up here and they are bugging the buns!!

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It was £2.99 and last for up to two months. You have to keep it out of their way so they don't nibble at it but I intend to leave it on a shelf in their shed.

It was a Wyevale Garden Centre that I bought it from.

hi

what about mosquito coils that go in a holder? - they release light smoke which would be good if your bunns are in a run outside - Boots sell them in the travel or first aid section, and there's this website:
http://www.safariquip.co.uk/i_insect_repellent_information.html

I'm a fanatic about flies and mozzies - if you live near wild rabbits, mozzies can carry myxomatosis.

I've got net curtain in my bunny shed, tucked around the slightly open window, which I spray outside with citronella/deet Jungle Formula repellant a couple of times a day, and a window sticker which kills flies, AND I use Raid flyspray on the curtain and down the back of their wooden hutch (great for sleeping mozzies) a few times a day - plus the sweet smell of Raid hides the bunny smell which attracts flies....None of it is natural at all, but I want to protect my bunnies, so I'm not bothered.

midges are different though - maybe a smoke coil would help?


Edana, Benji and Pepper

Brilliant thanks v much guys this has given me loads of ideas!! Da*n Flys!!!!

Mint (plant) is supposed to be really good for keeping flies away, I'm obsessed with them, as my last bun died from fly strike. You could either hang it in bundles above the hutch or plant them near the hutch, but dont let ur bunnys get at it. Also, spiders are ace, if you put them in the hutch the eat all the nasty little things and dont bother your buns, except . . . They scare me to DEATH!! lol

We have tried loads of things for flies and I can honestly say NOTHING has worked remotely as well as strategically positioned good old fashioned fly paper.

Just make sure it's somewhere where the buns can't get at it :lol:

"Add approximately one teaspoon of vanilla flavoring extract, real or artificial, to one gallon of drinking water in an effort to reduce fly strike and warbles by reducing the number of flies in and about our rabbits."

:~) Jim

Jim, do you just leave that mixture in a bowl??

I don't seem to be able to get fly papers anywhere in dumfries i went apsolutly everywhere at the weekend and no one had them!!