Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Gad-fly

GAD-FLY, or Breeze, Oestrus bovis, L. an insect with spotted wings, and a yellow breast. It has a long proboscis, with a sharp dart, inclosing two others within it.

These insects particularly infest oxen, in the backs of which they deposit their eggs, and where the maggots are nourished in the winter, till the month of June: during the whole summer, they plague the cattle by means of their darts to such a degree, that the distressed animals are induced to rush into the water for refuge, till night approaches.—We believe that the washing of oxen and cows, in the early spring with a decoction of tobacco, or any other bitter and acrid plant, would greatly tend to prevent the generation of these vermin.

Gad-flies are also very destructive to flowers and trees, the juices of which they absorb; and likewise injure the roots of trees, which, if not timely prevented, they gnaw so severely, that the stem will languish, and at length perish. The only remedy hitherto discovered is, to dig up the soil at the root of such flowers or trees, to kill the insects; and to lay on fresh earth; by which means the plants will be speedily recovered, if they have not been too long neglected.