Yellow Fly Solutions: Get Rid of Yellow Flies and Find Out What To Do When Bitten

Yellow fly time is here. Yellow flies mate during May and June in Florida and they are a nuisance. Females need to obtain a blood meal before laying eggs. Guess where that tasty meal is located?

So how do we get rid of yellow flies or at least curtail the using of your blood as their meal for the day? Here are some methods that I have used in my yard. These methods have not completely eliminated yellow flies in my yard but it has helped cut down on their numbers.

Method 1: Pennies In Water

This works to keep them from swarming at your doors. Put 8 pennies in a little water in a ziplock bag. Close the bag and put on the outside of your doors. I used Velcro to attach it to the door. The reflection of the pennies in the water keeps some of the yellow flies away from the door.

Method 2: Sticky Black Ball Trap

I bought a Bug Ball and a can of Tangle Trap at Ace Hardware. I attached the ball to a tree branch in the yard with string and covered the ball with Tangle Trap. About 35 bugs were trapped on the first day. More have continued to be trapped every day. This does help.

Two solutions for Yellow Fly Bites

Homemade Solution

These bugs are persistent so if you do get stung, here is a DIY solution to help with the itching and pain. This is great to have in your refrigerator ready for when you get bitten.

Yellow Fly Bite Relief Recipe

(Printable Recipe to Put On Refrigerator)

• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/3 cup ammonia
• 1/3 tsp. Meat Tenderizer
• 1 crushed aspirin
• Mix well and store in the refrigerator.
• Lasts about 30 days.

Water and the Microwave

Place folded wet paper towels in the Microwave for 30 seconds. Place on bite as hot as you can stand without burning your skin.

Tiny Bits of Quartz Make Florida’s Sand White

Many people flock to our town to check out one thing: the beautiful beaches. One of the best reasons for living in Pensacola is the fact that we live right on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The beautiful waters of the Emerald Coast – our little bit of coast that stretches from Pensacola to Panama City – and the gorgeous white, sandy beaches that surround it. Aside from the beauty of the beaches and Instagram-worthy posts that can come from it – do you know why our beaches have white sand?

The stunning, white, almost glittery sand is the actually made up of tiny bits of quartz. The quartz came from the Appalachian Mountains thousands of years ago. It was from the rocks in the Appalachian Mountains that eroded. Most minerals were ground to dust, but quartz, being resilient, didn’t. So, the deposits that were brought down to the Gulf of Mexico were pretty much pure quartz. And, unlike other areas, the rivers that were providing our sand stopped bringing new deposits for years.

Did you know that the white beaches are actually part of the reason that the water looks emerald green?

While some believe that the water is the color is it because of the concentration of blue-green algae, it actually has a second reason. The blue-green color is caused by the light that shines on the water. How is the sand tied into this? The sunshine is reflecting off the shimmering quartz sand underneath the water. The combination of the blinding white sands and the crystal clarity of the water is what creates the gem-like quality. The water even goes through all the different hues that resemble green gems. Over time, the rivers that drained into the gulf became less and less. Thus, the Emerald Coast kept its hue.

Now you know why our beaches are the way they are. The bright, soft white sands that edge along the gem-like brilliance of the Emerald Coast makes us unique. Let’s keep our beaches beautiful and clean!

The Blue Angels

Pensacola, Florida is known for many things:

• Being saddled right next to the Alabama state line.
• The white sand and emerald shores that hinges on the Gulf of Mexico.
• Known as the city of  five flags.

However, one of the best, and biggest things that Pensacola is known for is that it is the current hometown of the Navy’s beautiful Blue Angels, which is the second oldest flying aerobatic team in the world. The first team was created by the French and called Patrouille de France.

The Blue Angels delight us with air shows and a beautiful museum. The Blue Angels have been featured on news stations, have their own social media pages, and have done various stints on television. The team had its own show from 1960-1961, appeared on a few episodes of Tim Allen’s ‘Home Improvement,’ and even was on a Mythbusters episode! So it’s not as much surprising as it is fascinating when non-locals casually talk about the Blue Angels. They are recognized worldwide.

The Blue Angels are the prestigious naval unit that performs air shows across the globe. They showcase the beauty and precision that the Navy can produce. The team was created by Admiral Chester Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations in 1946 in order to boost Navy morale and help recruiting efforts. The team jumped around bases a bit before making a home in June 1955. And, while they spend the show season in our lovely town of Pensacola, the team resides in NAF El Centro, California during the offseason to train and practice new maneuvers. They train a couple of times a day, six days a week in order to produce the show as safely as possible.

The Blue Angels have a habit of making history and branding themselves. In 1954, the team brought in its first ever Marine Corps pilot, Cap. Chuck Hiett. And, since then, they have left one position reserved for a Marine. In 1968, the Blue Angels brought in their first female to serve on the Blue Angels, Lt. Mary Russell. The team was officially recognized as a flight demonstration team in 1973, with a special ceremony held at NAS Pensacola. Lastly, in 1985, they welcomed their first African-American pilot into the mix: Lt. Cmdr. Donnie Cochran

As of 2014, a new executive officer was added to the Blue Angels which then created Blue Angel history by adding 17 Blue Angels officers! That wasn’t the only history-making moment in the Blue Angels’ past. In 2015, Marine Capt. Katie Higgins was the first female Blue Angels pilot. In 2019 the team will celebrate its 73^rd anniversary. Since the team’s beginning in 1946, the Blue Angels have performed for over 500 million fans across the globe. Guess you could say that makes our little town pretty well-known both far and wide.