Burke County Fair

County Agent News

Dan Folske

May 24, 2010

Burke County Fair

      Fair time is almost here. 4-H and school exhibits, the livestock show, a talent show, tractor and pickup pulls, games, inflatables, a mechanical bull, and car races are all part of the activities scheduled. But to make all these things into a successful fair takes people, people to organize, participate, and to attend as spectators. I’d like to thank everyone who works to help put the fair on and encourage everyone to take part. If you are interested in helping with any part of the fair or participating in any of the events please give us a call at the extension office or contact any of the following individuals for specific information. 

Northwest Jr. Livestock Show:  Jessica Bullinger, ph. 464-4893 Pickup Pull: Kevin Lucy, 339-7948 Tractor Pull:  Dan Folske. 377-2927 Car Races:  Ryan Westerness, 240-2572 Talent Show:  Deb Bauman, 933-3310 Commercial Space:  Jodi Benge, 377-2364 or Dan Folske, 377-2927 

If you cannot reach anyone listed above or have other questions please contact the Burke County Extension Office at 377-2927 

Black files are pests of humans and animals and most complaints are in May to June in North Dakota,according to Jan Knodell, NDSU Extension Entomologist. They are commonly called buffalo or turkey gnats and belong to the insect family Simuliidae. The immature stages (eggs, larvae, and

pupae) develop in moving water and will die within 10-75 hrs without moving water to provide oxygen and food. Only the females bite; males feed on plants. Bites can be painful and cause dermatitis and itching for several days. Black flies are attracted to dark colors so wear lighter colored clothing. Unlike mosquitoes, black flies only bite during the day and prefer low winds. Losses to livestock and poultry are difficult to estimate, but decreased milk, beef and egg production are common when high populations of black flies are present. Flies live for about three weeks.

There is little that the homeowner can do to control black flies, except to avoid outdoor activities during peak black fly season. Using protective repellents have only some relief depending on species of fly, temperature, humidity and time of day. Fine mesh screening can be used over hats to protect the face. The best method of control is to reduce the number of breeding areas. Removal of vegetation and objects in streams will help minimize the number of larvae, since larvae attach to submerged objects during development. Temporary damming of water can also lower populations as immature stages require running water to survive. Any insecticide used as a fogger provides only temporary relief as black flies can fly 7-10 miles or can be blown by the wind even further. Treatment of streams is only effective if timed correctly and on a large scale community effort by local government programs. A bacterial biopesticide, Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, is a larvicide that is nontoxic to nontarget organisms such as fish, birds, etc. and can be applied to streams by aircraft.