Biting flies attracted by water on winter cover

[nicole12]

We've had our pool for 3 years and now for the 3rd year we've had a problem with biting flies in our backyard. They show up around this time and will last about a month before dying off due to cold temps. I'm wondering if the cover that accumulates on the winter cover is a breeding ground for these pesty flies. My poor dogs can't even go out in the backyard without being attacked by these flies.

Anyone else heard of this or experienced this?

Can I add bleach to the water on the cover or will that ruin the cover?

[Poconos]

Standing water can be a breeding ground for a bunch of critters. I have no idea what to do other than flush it off once in a while but one idea that comes to mind is adding something to the water to either kill or discourage them. I have NO IDEA if cover damage can occur but what about a few drops of oil that will form a thin molecular film or maybe borax or baking soda. Maybe RV antifreeze or the older green stuff ethelyne glycol. Just some crazy ideas and I'd like to hear comments too.
Al

[waste]

Nicole, not sure how it would impact the cover but last year we had 3 sets of fiberglass steps full of water and mosquitos ay our shop - I finally got tired of the squtos and crushed a trichlor tab and put a few small peices in each step - the mosquitos went away. I think the cya helped keep the bugs away for ~ 2 mos (which was how long I waited to repeat the proceedure).
Don't know how practical this would be for you (nor the effect on your cover - if the cover would be damaged by the low pH or concentrated cl, it's not worth it), but thought I'd at least toss it out as an idea. BTW, we are talking about a relatively small amt of water, so whatever you use, you shouldn't need much, and it only has to last a month before the cold gets 'em.

[AnnaK]

My poor dogs can't even go out in the backyard without being attacked by these flies.

Anyone else heard of this or experienced this?

Can I add bleach to the water on the cover or will that ruin the cover?

My total sympathies, Nicole!We're in eastern PA and have had some serious problems with these flies this year, worse than in previous years IMO.

Here are some semi-solutions, not perfect but they work for a while. To keep the flies away from the dogs I tie a Bounce scented dryer sheet to their collars. It keeps the flies off their ears and out of their eyes.

I wear a mosquito net over my hat while cleaning the pool and stick a Bounce sheet in my hat band. It's only marginally functional but better than being swarmed by the little beasts.

There's a new bug spray out which is less offensive to me than OFF or Cutters. It contains picaridin and I've found it helps keeps the biting flies at a distance. I use it on the dogs's bellies as well.

Smoking helps - but it's not for everybody.

As to sanitizing pooled water (no pun intended), early this summer I poured about 1/2 oz of polyquat into the puddle which forms on a tarp covering some garden soil and have had neither algea not mosquitos grow and multiply there. That might work for your pool cover.

Best of luck!