Sandflies - do they live in sand????

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 21:31

Where do sandflies live and breed when they are not busy bitting me - yes they are still at it - although they seem smaller now.....

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 21:58

They are called sandflies because they are small and sand coloured and difficult to see when they lan on your skin...

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 22:30

tempus fugit = time flies



indigo fugit = blue flies



pulvis fugit = sand flies



I'm being silly now.



Lem

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 22:57

thanks B's dad- asked because wondering why they target my house more than others!!!

Lem - yes and i dont get it ;~)

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 23:12

http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/bitmidge.htm



Take a look Tricia

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 23:33

These lovelly little critters will live and bite anywhere they wish to....... or so it seems!!!



Best thing is to befriend them and make them family pets. They will still bite you but it is more friendly.



They do appear to be active in and around loose earth ie building sites, so if that is where you are then sorry you join the rest of us. Personally do not get too bothered but the boss gets bitten at the sight of one. She even has a fly net over bed and she still gets bitten.

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
18/10/2008 23:47

Its a play on Latin words,



"Tempus Fugit" translates as Time Flys, you sometime see it engraved on grandfather clocks.



Indigo fugit, well indigo is latin for blue, the translation is Blue Flys, which is nonsense as Blue cannot fly, but there are some little bugs called Blueflies, hence the play on words.



Here's another example, "sic gloria transit mundi" literally translates as thus passes the glory of the world, others have suggested, Gloria has been sick in the transit (van) on Monday.



Lem

NoNowt


Joined: 09/10/2008
Posts: 68

Message Posted:
19/10/2008 00:01

They live in the cracks in stone walls etc or anywhere there are tiny cracks for them to lay their eggs. You need to spray well each night. If you get bitten enough there's every chance of getting sandfly fever, a fluey sort of condition that could last up to 10-12 days. You'd know them from the mosquito as their bite is that much sharper often causing you to wake up. Very unpleasant. Does also affect your taste buds that I didn't feel like drinking my normal ration of Efes. My wife and children got it too a week before I got hit. Summer before last I knew and saw 7 odd people who'd caught it.



Apparently the yanks call them noseeums!! Most people say that if you#ve caught sandfly fever once, then you'll be immune subsequently. However, I know one lady who lives in N Cyprus who says she still gets milder strains of it. Be warned!

Jachin



Joined: 05/02/2008
Posts: 99

Message Posted:
19/10/2008 00:35

do'nt talk about sandflies!!

I paid £70 for mossie nets, guaranteed to stop the smallest of parasites.( Mel Gibson used them in Scotland filming ) Woke up one morning and the bastards were dive bombing me inside the net !!! Ill for three days.

Rocker



Joined: 24/09/2008
Posts: 384

Message Posted:
19/10/2008 01:28

Yes sandfies are lovely critters and when they bite it can be nasty and costly as if the bite is not treated humans may need a blood transfusions and animals well its nasty.

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
19/10/2008 01:30

Thanks all.



Jachin - i have net too over bed - but they seem to know how to get under it and im sure they sit on you so get under it with you - i always spray inside mine 20 mins before bed - blue raid spray has worked well for me this year.

In living room is problem as doors always open - but we play splat them game on way - better than tv most nights!!!

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
19/10/2008 12:27

Unfortunately the mesh on standard mozzie fly netting is too large to exclude the little blighters...



You need to replace it with some alltogether finer material... Ikea sell some really nice fine material (they sell it for curtains but it's great for fly netting)... works wonders.

mitsi


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 345

Message Posted:
21/10/2008 15:32

They seem to be really prolific around building sites and goat/sheep droppings

Treesy


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 406

Message Posted:
21/10/2008 20:04

mitsi



great news - got 3 unfinished villas opposite with lots of rubble and shepherd walks past most days with his flock of 30+



And our appartment is like a lighthouse - no streetlights and rest of village set behind - sure they see our lights from Turkey



Will have to stick to the spray and net in the bedroom and the occasional 'ouch' in the living room!



Thanks



Tricia