These actually work phenomenally. In Calabogie/Ottawa area, the deer flies are so thick in the summer you'll wind up in the hospital or burning 5k calories from arm-waving if you head out. Two of these on my hat, and I was able to trek with short sleeves and no netting. That said, you do need to keep moving to keep them moving. But they truly are a game-changer for summer camping.
THANK YOU for posting this because I still tell people today, about the scariest fly experience in my life once on a bike ride near 31 mile lake near Gracefield… giant swarm in my slipstream and a big climb approaching… thought I was doomed but thankfully they turned around in time
A note on the deer fly patches - my mom has been using them for a few years now gardening in Muskoka, and her patches get FULL of deer flies. So I guess they can be successful in some applications… maybe because she is bent over gardening, so it’s facing the sky, who knows.
For decades I have used a handy, instant, natural solution that mimics this device. I simply pick a stiff weed stem or thin tree or shrub branch and strip all the leaves except at the tip. I whip it around my head a few times and the leaves create a buzzing sound similar to that of a dragonfly's wings. The deer/horse flies leave and often don't come back.
I ran an engineering consulting firm out of my home for 35 years before I retired. As a break from writing software and designing controllers for my clients, I would retire to the backyard and do target practice with my BB gun. I shot hundreds of flies off of my dog's dish and became a really, really good marksman (I shot expert on my first try at the ROTC range). I say this to make a point. Every August we had a dragonfly invasion at my home in North Texas. Dozens of dragonflies would patrol my back yard and I took potshots at them, hundreds of times. I am good at skeet and I never hit even one. They could see an 880 fps BB coming and dodge it by bouncing up 2-3 inches. Their reaction time had to be 100 milliseconds or less. They are amazing creatures. I can imagine it would be a nightmare to be a flying bug and to see a dragonfly anywhere nearby.
I did some competitive shooting as well so I can appreciate your marksmanship skills. We have walked into areas with hundreds of dragonflies scooping mosquitoes and none ever collided with us. Amazing critters. Thanks for commenting
Goodaye Mark, Canadian Armed forces member here, we treat all our combat uniforms in permethrin before entering the field generally. Works extremely well and will indeed get rid of the ticks in addition. Only problem is it only seems to be effective for a few days, and all but gone after the first wash. Unfortunately I cant help you on finding a source considering that is all supplied through work. Best of luck.
The US military through DARPA has developed insect drones. A buddy of mine who is totally sane and is a bee-keeper said he saw one at Disneyworld, hovering over a group of Chinese tourists. This was about 5 years ago. He said : real dragonflies dart around and hover only momentarily. This thing flew in a straight line with consistent wing beats and a buzzing sound. Real ones are silent.
Very interesting results. Fascinating story about the live dragonfly and it's reaction to the fake fly. I have heard that various sound frequencies can be effective as flying insect repellents but my experience seems to indicate a negative on that. I have had several sound generating apps on my smart phone in the past and have set the audio frequency output to the recommended frequencies and the setup seems to not have any effect on the mosquitoes at all.
I have heard about sonic deterrents but reviews often say they are not effective. I have also heard diet can change how attractive we are to mosquitoes but nothing other than this seems to help with deer flies. Thanks for commenting Lonnie
I'm so glad that works for you! The Cousin to the deer fly is the Florida yellow fly. They are just as Is brutal and relentless. Down here we have a product called "Tangle Foot". Also the yellow fly is very attached to the color blue or black. I paint a milk jug blue and smear this stuff all over it. Hang from a tree and it gets bunches of them. I have thought about wearing my blue hard hat with that stuff on it in the woods! Lol
What a great idea. Heck, I will definitely give it a try. I cannot believe it bouncing around on my hat could be more irritating than the flies. Thank for sharing.
I am going by Lee Valley today. I will stop by and see if they have any, because deer flies are my nemesis! They seem to be worse when I am sweating. In my business I am usually outside sweating trying to make it so my customers are not sweating inside. Cheers Mark!
That is a great product Mark. I have really bad allergic reactions to horse fly bites and always have to carry antihistamine in the warmer months. Deet seems to keep them away but is fairly toxic so I mainly use Avon's 'Skin So Soft' - it doesn't repel them but they will not bite you after landing (it is oily though so debris can stick to the skin).
It WORKS!! 90% of the time at least. One thing I’m going to do… since the clip gets loose quickly on the brim and becomes kind of tedious during activity for me, especially being over 6 feet tall and knocking it around by everything, is assign a dedicated hat with the wire somehow connected to the top in a very strong manner.
Great ideas Mark. Another option would be to use sticky traps meant for insects or mice which can be found at dollar stores, in place of the Lee Valley sticky patches. I've heard fabric softener sheets in your hat repel mosquitoes, not sure if they work on deer flys though
There is another kind of fly that everyone should learn about: the robber fly. Robber flies also prey on biting flies but they don’t look as pretty as a dragonflies. Unlike dragonflies, robber flies will sit on you and ride along waiting for a snack. That isn’t the most common thing, honestly, but it’s happened to me on numerous occasions, and they’ll stay unlike dragonflies which don’t really like to sit on you. The thing is that the robber fly looks like a nasty bug unless you know better. What looks like a big stinger is just for laying eggs in sand, but it gets them swatted for looking scary. Most parents will just say “I don’t know what that is so you better stay away.” Look them up so you know which bugs to be friends with, they’re ugly but helpful.
I had not heard of the Robber Fly before so I looked it up. Very interesting. I understand its range should include Nova Scotia but I don't recall seeing them. Thanks for commenting
Your video came up as a suggestion since I had been researching deer fly trap methods recently. They are brutal this summer here in NH. I won’t use mouse glue boards for mice but I do cut them in half and pin them to my hat. It does catch many, but they still swarm and drive me crazy. The dragonfly wingman is genius!! I have many dragonflies, but I guess I have more bugs than they can eat. Off to buy and hoping it’s still available two years after this video. 🤞🏻
I so hate those deer flies. I believe the Dragon Fly Wingman is still available. I recently discovered that permethrin also seems works for deer flies. It is hard for us to get it here in Canada. Thanks for commenting
Interesting concept and I adore dragonflies but like you, not sure about the bouncing around on my head, especially while walking. Attached to a chair or hat when sitting still, yeah, could deal with that. Usually when I walk through heavily infested deerfly areas I wear a hat with a detachable neck drape (not sure what it is actually called). I usually wear it for out in the sun when sitting or when I am paddling to protect the back of my neck but it works well to protest my neck, ears and sides of face from those pesky critters as well. I do have the Lee Valley patches but I like the hat better. With the patch they are still bombing around my head and will try for my ears and neck. I think I might invest in a dragonfly friend for just sitting around because that is when I find they bother me the most. Thanks for sharing. :) :)
I allow the dragon flies and welcome them when kayak fishing. I once read the sound of their wings repels mosquitos. Can't say for sure, but when the dragons are near me I have never had a single bug bother me.
Seems like this would be pretty easy to make yourself. A bit of spring wire like an old guitar string; one of those binder clips or a pinch type clothes pin to hook it to your hat; some foam for the body, and a milk jug for wings. Use some sharpies to add lines and colors. I think you could get pretty creative and put more than one on your beach chairs. I could also see someone making a "mobile" or stringer out of these to hang outside around their deck.
Mark, at least it's a very amusing and interesting experiment...until you get bit! Maybe, if the dragonfly dangles on the back of a cap with a neck drape it might be just as effective and with less snags along the trail? Perhaps, a trip to Bar Harbor, Maine on the CAT high speed ferry may provide an avenue to purchase some permethrin from one of the shops in the lower 48 ? Wonder what farmers have done in the past?
I’ll get one and give it a go, I might pin one directly to the back of the hat as well for hiking. Permethrin is not a repellent in itself, its very effective at killing many insects, and it does kill deer and horse flies. Does nothing to stop them from biting, and it works far slower on larger insects than it does smaller. Its been a while since I tried but I’ve ordered it from Sawyer in the past. Growing up it was available to us on the farm as a white powder, but its been unavailable there for some time.
Permethrin is available through Walmart. They deliver, or you can pick it up at the stire. Pump bottles cost less per ounce than aerosol cans. I apply it to clothing, inside of sleeping bag, inside tent corners & ceiling & screens. Kills bugs. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
Deer flies are a terrible menace, especially for Otis, they get on his nose and soon the blood is flowing. Not sure if it is still on the market, but there used to be these yellow sticky patches that one could use. I tried looking for some, but couldn't find anything. Now I wonder if I were to wear one if it would work to keep them far enough away to stay away from Otis as well. May be a good experiment. Those are the ones! Okay, never checked Lee Valley...I do have a parathyrin hat that I wear and a scarf for Otis and those do seem to work for mosquitoes. Thanks for sharing your advice and experience! Bruce and Otis
permethrin has been used in the past (not sure about current use) as an insecticide for livestock so a farm supply store might carry it. Chances are that the livestock version is much more concentrated than is safe for humans so it would need dilution. I have vague memories of Shawn James posting a video about this on either his personal or Self Reliance channel.
Interested. I from the southern United States. We have deer flies but mostly horse flies. Permethrin works for all of them. If you do a military solution of 15 oz of water to 1 ounce of petroleum based permethrin in a wicking method for a minimum of 24 hours it will usually protect you on your clothing for up to 50 washers for 1 year.
Thank you for the review. I went to Amazon and it is a little bit pricey. Now, I was reading the reviews and most of the people have been having issues with the device itself breaking apart the soldering is not holding up any feedback that you can give us?
You kind of answered this with the beach anecdote, but curious if these will work if I placed a few around the backyard. I’m also curious, how do they do repelling other insects other than horse/deer flies?
Have not tried using them for area protection but will do so next spring. I find they don't work well for other biting flies as they hunt by smell and heat rather than eyesight. Thanks for commenting
I wonder if a couple of pin on style would work? Maybe one on each shoulder and one on the hat. They wouldn't be "flying" but they wouldn't get up in branches
Hi from Central Ontario! 🙋🏼♀️ I have been eyeballing this product for a while. I may consider buying it. However, I had hoped to buy a red one since we have red dragonflies in my neck of the woods. I wonder if this makes a difference if you get one that is native to your area? Thanks for doing this review.
When my daughter gave me this one I looked it up and was pleased to find it is native and fairly common to my area. It makes sense that a native dragon fly would be most effective but I can't confirm. Thanks for commenting
I can get the permethrin spray from Amazon and ship it if unavailable there. Durvet Permethrin 10%, 8oz $13.13 I just bought 8 oz of pyrethrin concentrate for $19 from Amazon I think the dragonfly decoy is a hoot if it works. I can imagine a motorized version that flies in circles of maybe 10" in dia.
I tried one of those & a mosquito landed beside it proceeding to bite me. I snapped a picture of this & returned the sonic product for a refund which I did receive. The product is still on the market.
lemon eucalyptus based repellants will keep them from biting you but they still buzz around your head. I tried to buy a dragonfly wingman off Amazon , they won`t ship to Florida .
I have tried the lemon-eucalyptus repellents. Work for black flies and mosquitos but not the deer flies. Sorry to hear about not being able to but the Dragonfly Wingman. Maybe you could make one? Thanks for commenting
These have worked well for me too. Please let us know if you find a source of permethrin - supposed to be very good for ticks which we have a lot of around here. (Ottawa)
@@MarkYoungBushcraft so there are two ways I’ve found to get permethrin. The easy way is to go to a farm supply store and pick up a bottle of horse’s bug spray. Mustang would be one brand. They have permethrin in them but they do smell like cintronella. Spray it on clothes only, let it dry. I do apply it to my cloths the night before and my boots in the morning and I assume it works as I’ve never seen a tick in my life lol. (I’m in S/Ontario) For something like bow hunting cloths you may have to go to the US and visit a Walmart for Sawyer Permethrin.
@@MarkYoungBushcraft I just remembered another option but it may be harder. Apparently licensed pest control companies can buy pure permethrin here in Ontario. I’ve seen it locked up at the TSC for sale. Also I just searched Canadian Tire’s website and found several products that contain it meant for household use. I don’t know how safe they would be for clothing or the wearer so have a look, read up and use your own judgment :-)
I have a wing man too and it seems to have eliminated the one horse fly that randomly buzzes around my head when hiking or paddling. I think Permethrin is banned in Canada. I tried to find it and I think I saw that it’s too strong so not for sale here.
That would be an option once I get to my location. Challenging when bushwhacking. I find they hold in a fare amount of heat as well. Thanks for commenting
I use Skin So Soft with a 80% success rate the downside to Skin So Soft is that is oily so in the direct sun you chance a burn it is a very powerful repellent
@@MarkYoungBushcraft I live in Newfoundland Mark and I'm pretty sure any serious fisherman or Hunter here has a bottle of Skin So Soft in his or her kit. I'm looking forward to your review
Must say that it is rather amusing. If I I saw someone walking in the woods with one of those attached to a hat, I would wonder if the hat was tin foil. However, I know those flies can be a terrible bother and extreme measures can be called for to find relief. When taken seriously, it looks like it might help but clipping to a hat would be annoying to me for sure. Pack frame maybe? As usual a good honest review Mark. :)
I wish they made these and copy-cat one a bit better quality. I have been looking at these (since I saw you video Mark) and the complaints are that they are cheap and fall apart. Maybe some will create a better mousetrap - or in this case, a better fake dragonfly. ;)
I don't see why people should be unconvinced. People make "flies" from bits of string and whatnot and they lure fish in. And fish, though they are hardly intellectuals, are surely brighter than flies! Great video as always Mark !!
These actually work phenomenally. In Calabogie/Ottawa area, the deer flies are so thick in the summer you'll wind up in the hospital or burning 5k calories from arm-waving if you head out. Two of these on my hat, and I was able to trek with short sleeves and no netting. That said, you do need to keep moving to keep them moving. But they truly are a game-changer for summer camping.
Oh man, I don't think I would make it of the woods alive in your area😂. I am really very impressed with how well these work. Thanks for commenting
THANK YOU for posting this because I still tell people today, about the scariest fly experience in my life once on a bike ride near 31 mile lake near Gracefield… giant swarm in my slipstream and a big climb approaching… thought I was doomed but thankfully they turned around in time
What do you mean by "these" man
@@willywonka077 The fake dragonflies. The topic of the entire video.
Wonderful video. Laughing my head off after seeing the size of that dragon fly!!
It is a bit awkward but better than the deer fly biting. Thanks for commenting
A note on the deer fly patches - my mom has been using them for a few years now gardening in Muskoka, and her patches get FULL of deer flies. So I guess they can be successful in some applications… maybe because she is bent over gardening, so it’s facing the sky, who knows.
I agree it can work. When I did use it, I did get a few to stick but still got bit by others. Thanks for commenting
For decades I have used a handy, instant, natural solution that mimics this device. I simply pick a stiff weed stem or thin tree or shrub branch and strip all the leaves except at the tip. I whip it around my head a few times and the leaves create a buzzing sound similar to that of a dragonfly's wings. The deer/horse flies leave and often don't come back.
Interesting idea. I will give it a try. Thanks for commenting
I ran an engineering consulting firm out of my home for 35 years before I retired. As a break from writing software and designing controllers for my clients, I would retire to the backyard and do target practice with my BB gun. I shot hundreds of flies off of my dog's dish and became a really, really good marksman (I shot expert on my first try at the ROTC range). I say this to make a point. Every August we had a dragonfly invasion at my home in North Texas. Dozens of dragonflies would patrol my back yard and I took potshots at them, hundreds of times. I am good at skeet and I never hit even one. They could see an 880 fps BB coming and dodge it by bouncing up 2-3 inches. Their reaction time had to be 100 milliseconds or less.
They are amazing creatures. I can imagine it would be a nightmare to be a flying bug and to see a dragonfly anywhere nearby.
I did some competitive shooting as well so I can appreciate your marksmanship skills. We have walked into areas with hundreds of dragonflies scooping mosquitoes and none ever collided with us. Amazing critters. Thanks for commenting
Goodaye Mark, Canadian Armed forces member here, we treat all our combat uniforms in permethrin before entering the field generally. Works extremely well and will indeed get rid of the ticks in addition. Only problem is it only seems to be effective for a few days, and all but gone after the first wash.
Unfortunately I cant help you on finding a source considering that is all supplied through work.
Best of luck.
I had good protection from my last bottle of permethrin. I need to find some more. Thanks for commenting
The US military through DARPA has developed insect drones. A buddy of mine who is totally sane and is a bee-keeper said he saw one at Disneyworld, hovering over a group of Chinese tourists. This was about 5 years ago. He said : real dragonflies dart around and hover only momentarily. This thing flew in a straight line with consistent wing beats and a buzzing sound. Real ones are silent.
That is interesting. I wondered when that would occur. Thanks for commenting
The film Eye in the Sky featured an insect drone, I know it's fiction but I had heard of mil intel bird-like drones several years before that.
Very interesting results. Fascinating story about the live dragonfly and it's reaction to the fake fly. I have heard that various sound frequencies can be effective as flying insect repellents but my experience seems to indicate a negative on that. I have had several sound generating apps on my smart phone in the past and have set the audio frequency output to the recommended frequencies and the setup seems to not have any effect on the mosquitoes at all.
I have heard about sonic deterrents but reviews often say they are not effective. I have also heard diet can change how attractive we are to mosquitoes but nothing other than this seems to help with deer flies. Thanks for commenting Lonnie
I'm so glad that works for you! The Cousin to the deer fly is the Florida yellow fly. They are just as Is brutal and relentless. Down here we have a product called "Tangle Foot". Also the yellow fly is very attached to the color blue or black. I paint a milk jug blue and smear this stuff all over it. Hang from a tree and it gets bunches of them. I have thought about wearing my blue hard hat with that stuff on it in the woods! Lol
I have hear of tangle foot. Super sticky. I like the idea of a helmet for protection😊Thanks for commenting
What a great idea. Heck, I will definitely give it a try. I cannot believe it bouncing around on my hat could be more irritating than the flies. Thank for sharing.
That is a very good point. Thanks for commenting
I am going by Lee Valley today. I will stop by and see if they have any, because deer flies are my nemesis! They seem to be worse when I am sweating. In my business I am usually outside sweating trying to make it so my customers are not sweating inside. Cheers Mark!
I hear you on that. I am always wet when hiking. Makes me a deer fly magnet. Thanks for commenting
That is a great product Mark. I have really bad allergic reactions to horse fly bites and always have to carry antihistamine in the warmer months. Deet seems to keep them away but is fairly toxic so I mainly use Avon's 'Skin So Soft' - it doesn't repel them but they will not bite you after landing (it is oily though so debris can stick to the skin).
I remember using Skin-So-Soft as a kid. Not sure how well it worked but safer than DEET. Thanks for commenting
Great Hearing Your Thoughts On This, Glad You Had Success With This, Thanks, Mark ! ATB T God Bless
A great help for sure. Thanks for commenting Terry
This has my interest ^^ Thanks for sharing!
Any time! Thanks for commenting
It WORKS!! 90% of the time at least. One thing I’m going to do… since the clip gets loose quickly on the brim and becomes kind of tedious during activity for me, especially being over 6 feet tall and knocking it around by everything, is assign a dedicated hat with the wire somehow connected to the top in a very strong manner.
I agree, the clip and having stay upright are the only real issues with it. Your strategy sounds good. Thanks for commenting
Great ideas Mark. Another option would be to use sticky traps meant for insects or mice which can be found at dollar stores, in place of the Lee Valley sticky patches. I've heard fabric softener sheets in your hat repel mosquitoes, not sure if they work on deer flys though
Interesting idea. I have a couple of ant traps that may work. Thanks for commenting
There is another kind of fly that everyone should learn about: the robber fly.
Robber flies also prey on biting flies but they don’t look as pretty as a dragonflies. Unlike dragonflies, robber flies will sit on you and ride along waiting for a snack. That isn’t the most common thing, honestly, but it’s happened to me on numerous occasions, and they’ll stay unlike dragonflies which don’t really like to sit on you. The thing is that the robber fly looks like a nasty bug unless you know better. What looks like a big stinger is just for laying eggs in sand, but it gets them swatted for looking scary. Most parents will just say “I don’t know what that is so you better stay away.” Look them up so you know which bugs to be friends with, they’re ugly but helpful.
I had not heard of the Robber Fly before so I looked it up. Very interesting. I understand its range should include Nova Scotia but I don't recall seeing them. Thanks for commenting
Skeeter eater is what I was told they were when I was a little lad.
Your video came up as a suggestion since I had been researching deer fly trap methods recently. They are brutal this summer here in NH. I won’t use mouse glue boards for mice but I do cut them in half and pin them to my hat. It does catch many, but they still swarm and drive me crazy. The dragonfly wingman is genius!! I have many dragonflies, but I guess I have more bugs than they can eat. Off to buy and hoping it’s still available two years after this video. 🤞🏻
I so hate those deer flies. I believe the Dragon Fly Wingman is still available. I recently discovered that permethrin also seems works for deer flies. It is hard for us to get it here in Canada. Thanks for commenting
Interesting concept and I adore dragonflies but like you, not sure about the bouncing around on my head, especially while walking. Attached to a chair or hat when sitting still, yeah, could deal with that. Usually when I walk through heavily infested deerfly areas I wear a hat with a detachable neck drape (not sure what it is actually called). I usually wear it for out in the sun when sitting or when I am paddling to protect the back of my neck but it works well to protest my neck, ears and sides of face from those pesky critters as well. I do have the Lee Valley patches but I like the hat better. With the patch they are still bombing around my head and will try for my ears and neck. I think I might invest in a dragonfly friend for just sitting around because that is when I find they bother me the most. Thanks for sharing. :) :)
I need to get a hat with a neck drape or adapt my Tilley with one. Thanks for commenting Jackie
And I thought I get strange looks wearing my Poncho. You’re right though, I love being out when the sky is full of Dragon Flies….No Bugs.
Dragon flies are entertaining to watch as they hunt. Thanks for commenting
I allow the dragon flies and welcome them when kayak fishing. I once read the sound of their wings repels mosquitos. Can't say for sure, but when the dragons are near me I have never had a single bug bother me.
Interesting , thanks for sharing , God bless !
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting
Hello from British Columbia Canada
🇨🇦🖐👍❤🌲🚐🌳🚐🌴🎨🖌🎠🤳🕸🎪👌
Must have missed this earlier 😢🎉🎉🎉
Thanks for commenting
Seems like this would be pretty easy to make yourself. A bit of spring wire like an old guitar string; one of those binder clips or a pinch type clothes pin to hook it to your hat; some foam for the body, and a milk jug for wings. Use some sharpies to add lines and colors. I think you could get pretty creative and put more than one on your beach chairs. I could also see someone making a "mobile" or stringer out of these to hang outside around their deck.
A few years ago homemade ones started showing up around here pinned to hats. I laughed at the idea then but not now. Thanks for commenting
Mark, at least it's a very amusing and interesting experiment...until you get bit! Maybe, if the dragonfly dangles on the back of a cap with a neck drape it might be just as effective and with less snags along the trail?
Perhaps, a trip to Bar Harbor, Maine on the CAT high speed ferry may provide an avenue to purchase some permethrin from one of the shops in the lower 48 ?
Wonder what farmers have done in the past?
We will be travelling to Florida to see my daughter next year. If I go by car I may grab some permethrin. Thanks for commenting
I’ll get one and give it a go, I might pin one directly to the back of the hat as well for hiking.
Permethrin is not a repellent in itself, its very effective at killing many insects, and it does kill deer and horse flies.
Does nothing to stop them from biting, and it works far slower on larger insects than it does smaller.
Its been a while since I tried but I’ve ordered it from Sawyer in the past.
Growing up it was available to us on the farm as a white powder, but its been unavailable there for some time.
Randal, do you remember Sam wearing a handmade dragon fly at the gathering. I laughed at it then. I am not laughing now. Thanks for commenting
@@MarkYoungBushcraft now that you mention it yes I do lol!
Permethrin is available through Walmart. They deliver, or you can pick it up at the stire. Pump bottles cost less per ounce than aerosol cans. I apply it to clothing, inside of sleeping bag, inside tent corners & ceiling & screens. Kills bugs.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
is that Walmart Canada?
Deer flies are a terrible menace, especially for Otis, they get on his nose and soon the blood is flowing. Not sure if it is still on the market, but there used to be these yellow sticky patches that one could use. I tried looking for some, but couldn't find anything. Now I wonder if I were to wear one if it would work to keep them far enough away to stay away from Otis as well. May be a good experiment. Those are the ones! Okay, never checked Lee Valley...I do have a parathyrin hat that I wear and a scarf for Otis and those do seem to work for mosquitoes. Thanks for sharing your advice and experience! Bruce and Otis
Yes, they must be terrible for the wildlife as well. Thanks for commenting
I think I saw those at Wal-Mart earlier . I'll have to put some around my yard .
Worth trying. Thanks for commenting
maybe sage for its smoke... possibly.... But cool vid. gonna 3d print some dragonflies, and try on our spring river here in florida.
So far, the only other thing I have found works, to a degree, is permethrin as long as my hat is also treated with it. Thanks for commenting
permethrin has been used in the past (not sure about current use) as an insecticide for livestock so a farm supply store might carry it. Chances are that the livestock version is much more concentrated than is safe for humans so it would need dilution. I have vague memories of Shawn James posting a video about this on either his personal or Self Reliance channel.
I have heard that even farm supply stores have stopped selling it. Will check it out. Thanks for commenting
I subscribe to Shawn James MSR YT channel ~ great channel ♥
Sawyer spray Walmart has it on shelves if you hike the Adirondacks in NY grab a few before you head home
Unfortunately, Sawyer is not available in Canada. Thanks for commenting
Permethrin is available at most outdoor stores in the US including Cabela's.... if you are driving down for a visit?
I would love to get some. Not sure it would work on deerflies though. Thanks for commenting
Interested. I from the southern United States. We have deer flies but mostly horse flies. Permethrin works for all of them. If you do a military solution of 15 oz of water to 1 ounce of petroleum based permethrin in a wicking method for a minimum of 24 hours it will usually protect you on your clothing for up to 50 washers for 1 year.
Wow... I need to see if I can get some. Thanks for commenting
I am going to get one of those dragonfly wingmen and see if it can help keep the horseflies disturbing the horses around the barnyard.
Interesting use for it. Hope it works for you. Thanks for commenting
Thank you for the review. I went to Amazon and it is a little bit pricey. Now, I was reading the reviews and most of the people have been having issues with the device itself breaking apart the soldering is not holding up any feedback that you can give us?
If you are in Canada try Lee Valley. I can see how the clamp is not super well made but no issues here after two summers. Thanks for commenting
You kind of answered this with the beach anecdote, but curious if these will work if I placed a few around the backyard.
I’m also curious, how do they do repelling other insects other than horse/deer flies?
Have not tried using them for area protection but will do so next spring. I find they don't work well for other biting flies as they hunt by smell and heat rather than eyesight. Thanks for commenting
I wonder if a couple of pin on style would work? Maybe one on each shoulder and one on the hat. They wouldn't be "flying" but they wouldn't get up in branches
I have been thinking about modifying one to see if it would work. I may make an update video. Thanks for commenting
Ive seen that thing at Lee Valley before, but I figured it wasn't effective. Maybe I'll pick one up.
More effective than I originally thought it would be. Thanks for commenting
I want to know what that black dragonfly was thinking?
LOL...good question. Thanks for commenting
Hi from Central Ontario! 🙋🏼♀️
I have been eyeballing this product for a while.
I may consider buying it. However, I had hoped to buy a red one since we have red dragonflies in my neck of the woods. I wonder if this makes a difference if you get one that is native to your area?
Thanks for doing this review.
When my daughter gave me this one I looked it up and was pleased to find it is native and fairly common to my area. It makes sense that a native dragon fly would be most effective but I can't confirm. Thanks for commenting
I can get the permethrin spray from Amazon and ship it if unavailable there.
Durvet Permethrin 10%, 8oz $13.13
I just bought 8 oz of pyrethrin concentrate for $19 from Amazon
I think the dragonfly decoy is a hoot if it works. I can imagine a motorized version that flies in circles of maybe 10" in dia.
Thank you for the offer to send me some permethrin. I will let you know
Have you tried any of the sonic devices? Some claim to mimic the sound of a dragonfly, though they all seem to be targeting mosquitoes not dear fly.
I tried one of those & a mosquito landed beside it proceeding to bite me. I snapped a picture of this & returned the sonic product for a refund which I did receive. The product is still on the market.
Was not aware of them. Thanks Peter
A neighbour/ friend uses the duct tape method and it works quite well.
I have not had good success with it but could always use both at the same time. Thanks for commenting
lemon eucalyptus based repellants will keep them from biting you but they still buzz around your head. I tried to buy a dragonfly wingman off Amazon , they won`t ship to Florida .
I have tried the lemon-eucalyptus repellents. Work for black flies and mosquitos but not the deer flies. Sorry to hear about not being able to but the Dragonfly Wingman. Maybe you could make one? Thanks for commenting
These have worked well for me too. Please let us know if you find a source of permethrin - supposed to be very good for ticks which we have a lot of around here. (Ottawa)
Right on. Will do. Thanks for commenting
@@MarkYoungBushcraft so there are two ways I’ve found to get permethrin. The easy way is to go to a farm supply store and pick up a bottle of horse’s bug spray. Mustang would be one brand. They have permethrin in them but they do smell like cintronella. Spray it on clothes only, let it dry. I do apply it to my cloths the night before and my boots in the morning and I assume it works as I’ve never seen a tick in my life lol. (I’m in S/Ontario)
For something like bow hunting cloths you may have to go to the US and visit a Walmart for Sawyer Permethrin.
@@rjstewart I have heard about getting it at farm supply places before. I will check it out. Thanks
@@MarkYoungBushcraft I just remembered another option but it may be harder. Apparently licensed pest control companies can buy pure permethrin here in Ontario. I’ve seen it locked up at the TSC for sale.
Also I just searched Canadian Tire’s website and found several products that contain it meant for household use. I don’t know how safe they would be for clothing or the wearer so have a look, read up and use your own judgment :-)
Soaking your clothes in Permethrin and letting it dry seems to work. It’s looses its efficiency after a couple of washes ( my experience).
Yes, I just need to find some. Thanks for commenting
There is a product called Cactus Juice that repels deer flys. I don't know if it is available in Canada. If I knew how, I could send you some.
I have heard of that but could not find it locally. Thanks for the offer. I will let you know. Thanks for commenting
I have a wing man too and it seems to have eliminated the one horse fly that randomly buzzes around my head when hiking or paddling. I think Permethrin is banned in Canada. I tried to find it and I think I saw that it’s too strong so not for sale here.
Yes, the only permethrin I am aware of in Canada is the clothing Mark;s sells that is treated with it. Thanks for commenting
@@MarkYoungBushcraft thanks for that tip re Marks. I did not know they sold clothing treated with it.
So does the dragon fly work i just want a simple yes or no.. Thanks
yes
@@MarkYoungBushcraft awesome thanks
I need three or four of them!
The more the better. Thanks for commenting
My first thought was your daughter got it for you as a gag gift, but I imaging it is a good conversation starter.
LOL...actually, I thing people are afraid to talk to me when they see this on my hat🤔
Head net and long sleeve shirts do the trick.
Thanks for commenting
PS love❤❤❤ lee Valley
Thanks for commenting
Have you tried bug netting over your Tilly hat?
That would be an option once I get to my location. Challenging when bushwhacking. I find they hold in a fare amount of heat as well. Thanks for commenting
I use Skin So Soft with a 80% success rate the downside to Skin So Soft is that is oily so in the direct sun you chance a burn it is a very powerful repellent
That was a trick my father used 50 years ago. Did not even give it a thought. Thanks for the reminder
@@MarkYoungBushcraft I live in Newfoundland Mark and I'm pretty sure any serious fisherman or Hunter here has a bottle of Skin So Soft in his or her kit. I'm looking forward to your review
Must say that it is rather amusing. If I I saw someone walking in the woods with one of those attached to a hat, I would wonder if the hat was tin foil.
However, I know those flies can be a terrible bother and extreme measures can be called for to find relief. When taken seriously, it looks like it might help but clipping to a hat would be annoying to me for sure. Pack frame maybe? As usual a good honest review Mark. :)
LOL... The tinfoil is on the inside of the hat to keep the microwaves out🤔 Thanks for commenting
10:53 An interesting story.
Thanks for commenting
@@MarkYoungBushcraft Thanks for the video. These dragonflies are impressive.
I wish they made these and copy-cat one a bit better quality. I have been looking at these (since I saw you video Mark) and the complaints are that they are cheap and fall apart. Maybe some will create a better mousetrap - or in this case, a better fake dragonfly. ;)
Unfortunate. I am still using the same one with no issue. Thanks for commenting
I believe you mark, but for the life of me, I just can’t imagine a group of people hanging around a camp site all wearing these 😀
Would be like a scene from Blazing Saddles😂. Thanks for commenting Jim
@@MarkYoungBushcraft LMAO
You should meet up with Slim Potatohead. I understand he moved from Alberta to somewhere in Eastern Canada.
I checked his channel and it appears he is in New Brunswick. Thanks for commenting
I don't see why people should be unconvinced. People make "flies" from bits of string and whatnot and they lure fish in. And fish, though they are hardly intellectuals, are surely brighter than flies!
Great video as always Mark !!
Very good point. Thanks for commenting
Move to another part of the Country.
I am thinking the only place that does not have deer flies would be north of the artic circle😆. Thanks for commenting
uh-huh
😆Thanks for commenting