Horseflies are building in population here in Southeast Ohio. There are several species of horse flies in Ohio ranging in size from 3/8″ – 1 1/8″ in length. All are aggressive and vicious biters. Horse flies have specialized vision that allows them to see heat; they literally use thermal imaging to locate their hosts. The flies are also able to track large moving objects, particularly dark colored objects, even while the flies are in fast flight. Taken together, their visual acuity allows them to effectively zero in on large, savory, warm blooded animals like cows, deer, people, and of course, horses. Unfortunately for the flies, their visual perception may also cause them to be fooled. A dark colored moving car or tractor that has been warmed by the summer sun looks to a horse fly like a dark, galloping horse, which is why they sometimes chase me when I am on the tractor!

There are a number of things you can do to keep yourself off the horse fly menu. If possible, avoid horse fly habitat. Their larvae feed on decaying organic matter in moist soil, so horse flies are frequently found in swamps or near streams and ponds. If you can’t avoid their habitat, schedule your activities to avoid the flies. Horse flies are active during the day; they can’t find their hosts at night. So, evening pool parties will be free of horse flies. If you must venture into horse fly habitat during the day, remain alert and take precautions. Most flies are silent flyers while horse flies produce a loud, buzzing sound. When you hear the buzz, locate the fly because horse flies love to land stealthily for a quick bite. However, avoid running; remember that horse flies are attracted to moving objects! Wear light clothing. Finally, while insect repellents may provide some protection, horse flies are very good at finding unprotected skin. Long sleeves, long pants, and neckerchiefs can help to thwart the flies.

   Plans are finalized for the 16^th Ag and Livestock Field Day in Morgan County. This year I am pleased to announce that our host farm will be Wiseman Livestock farm, home of Russ, Dee and Austin Wiseman. The field day will be on Monday, August 8, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and our headquarters will be at 2262 Newlon Rd, Malta (from Malta, take SR 37 west 7.2 miles to CR 39, Newlon Rd, and proceed two miles on CR 39 to the location, signs will be posted). We will begin with a tour of hay and crop fields, and discuss new seedings, rotations and fields being put into production. We will then view a silage bagger, a bale slicer round baler with sliced bales to view. We will then have a TMR feed mixer demonstration, and Perry Owen, nutritionist from Hubbard Feeds will provide tips for developing feed rations for our operations. Next, we will tour the feedlot/ background lot where they have up to 800 head of cattle per year. Finally, we will finish up the tour with a demonstration of an in-line bale wrapper.

   After supper, Dr. Lyda Garcia, OSU Meat Science Assistant Professor will provide a program on Quality & Adding Value to Your Cows. She will discuss quality and grading standards, adding value to your cull cows, potential feed alternatives and what does quality mean to you? She will also be very interested in answering your questions. We will also have updates from Morgan Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency. We will finish up with my annual Ag Outlook and the forecast for ag prices for the upcoming year. The program is sponsored by OSU Extension, Morgan SWCD, NRCS, and many other local businesses and organizations. The program is free and open to the public but reservations need to be made to the OSU Extension office at 740-962-4854 by August 5^th.

It is not uncommon this time of year to encounter a slithery visitor in gardens, landscapes, and backyards. There are several species of snakes happy to live their lives in backyards, but one of the most common is the garter snake. Named for the 3 light stripes that run along the length of its black, brown, gray, or olive body, the garter snake is sometimes nicknamed the ‘garden’ snake because that is where unsuspecting gardeners often encounter them. While it can be startling to encounter a snake while weeding or planting, if their presence can be tolerated, garter snakes are doing the constant gardener a favor. They feed on worms, slugs, insects, and small mammals that may otherwise be feasting on garden plants and flowers.

Garter snakes are most active during the day and on sunny summer days are often found basking on rocks, sidewalks, decks, or patios. On hot days and when sleeping, they retreat to sheltered areas such as under foundations, rocks, logs, stumps, or porches. There are no repellents that effectively work to keep snakes away. The best approach, aside from sharing the garden with them, is to eliminate denning and sleeping sites (rock or log piles) and shoo them away from basking areas. They are rarely aggressive and habituate to humans easily. Some gardeners find relief using glue traps to capture and remove snakes from around the home.

The common watersnake, on the other hand, is not a snake that should be picked up without the expectation of a strong bite. The coloration of this snake, which prefers streams, creeks, and other bodies of water, can sometimes cause it to be mistaken for a northern copperhead, one of Ohio’s 3 venomous snakes (the other 2 are the timber rattlesnake and eastern massasauga rattlesnake rattlesnake).  The northern copperhead has a distinct triangular head that the watersnake lacks, and is not common among well-settled areas.  Because of the common watersnake’s preference for water, it is also often mistaken for a water moccasin, a venomous snake that does not occur in Ohio.

While it would be rare to encounter a venomous snake while gardening, never disturb or handle a snake without first determining the species and if it is venomous.  Other snakes found around the home are the midland and northern brown snake, eastern milksnake, and black rat snake (source, Marne Tichenell, OSU Extension Wildlife specialist).