Flies

                                                                                                           
         


Parasite Application

Your insects arrive in a bag as parasitized pupae in a sawdust medium. The pupae are at various stages of development. Store at room temperature away from dogs and ants. Check for hatching over the next day or two by holding the bag up to a light source. When the first gnat-like parasites appear inside the bag it's time for application. Once dispersed, hatching will continue over the next week.

The parasites are nocturnal, thus the optimal release time is dusk. Apply the parasites around the edges of "hot spots" areas where manure and urine are accumulated - where flies are crawling and breeding. Scratch a 1/2" hole in the ground with your heel, drop in a tablespoon of the sawdust and pupae mixture, and cover the hole with dirt, manure, or straw. Repeat this process every 10-20 feet until the package contents are gone. Use a little extra in problem "hot spots".

START A FLY CONTROL PROGRAM HERE

Good sanitation is the foundation of any successful fly control program. In most cases, removing breeding material is the most feasible means of breaking the fly life cycle. Corrals, run-in sheds and barns should be designed to facilitate the rapid and efficient removal of manure and other fly-breeding materials. Feeders should be constructed to minimize waste and prevent manure and feed from accumulating beneath them. Fly breeding materials should be removed and disposed of at least weekly. Large round hay bales should be stored on a well-drained site. Sanitation should be completed if fly breeding is to be minimized. Areas commonly missed in clean-up include around fence posts, outside and under fences, feeders or hay racks, corners in barns and stalls, around silos or other feed storage areas, and areas around water sources. Manure and other fly breeding materials are most easily disposed of by spreading them thinly on pasture or cropland. Manure can also be stock-piled in one place and composted to reduce fly breeding problems. However, to prevent flies from developing in the outer layers, cover the waste with plastic. Fly development can be inhibited if manure and other fly breeding materials are kept dry. Corral areas should be designed to promote adequate drainage and eliminate wet spots where fly breeding is more likely to occur. Similarly, good drainage away from manure stockpiles will also promote drying and help reduce fly breeding. Automatic waterers should be maintained properly to prevent leaks. In addition to sanitation, more traditional methods of fly control should not be ignored when instituting a fly control program. Screening is an excellent way to keep flies out of areas, such as feed rooms, tack rooms and box stalls. Fans directing a blast downward and outward above doors will help prevent flies from entering barns. If only a few flies are present, sticky fly tapes can be used as a remedial measure. Other means of non-chemical control are less effective. For example, electric fly zappers are of limited value and are usually not effective in areas where flies are actively breeding. The same is true for the numerous fly jugs and traps available. These devices may trap a few flies, but are of little value in reducing total fly populations where active breeding is taking place.

Biological control is another non-chemical method promoted for house fly and stable fly control. Several species of parasitic wasps may be purchased to develop a good fly control program. With this method, the female wasps deposit their eggs in the fly pupae and the wasp larvae then kill and consume the developing fly. Which will provide long-term fly control.

Biological fly control methods are those which enhance and preserve naturally occurring populations of predators and parasites of flies.

A number of species of fly parasites also visit the manure and lay eggs in fly pupae. These parasites then develop inside the fly pupae, killing the flies as a result.

The maximum benefit from predators and parasites is achieved with dry manure. In very wet manure, predators cannot move about effectively to find and consume fly eggs and larvae.

Likewise, parasites also have to find the fly pupae, and can more easily penetrate dry manure to find and oviposit in the pupae.

Therefore, cultural practices designed to reduce fly breeding by manure drying, will at the same time encourage predators and parasites of the immature stages of the flies.

Fly Parasites Control Flies in Horse Facilities

Fly parasites are naturally occurring enemy of all manure breeding pest flies.  However, they are usually not found in a large enough population to control an aggressive fly population.  During the

fly season these parasitic wasps must be replenished about once a month.  They are simply not able to multiply in sufficient numbers to control the vast number of flies usually present around horse stable

areas.  One release of the fly parasites can temporarily reduce the population of lies. Fly parasites will travel up to 80 yards to find a food source (fly pupae) so keep that in mind as you are distributing them around the edges of “hot spots” – areas where manure and urine are accumulated and thus where flies are crawling and breeding. Fly parasites do not bite or sting humans or other animals and are so tiny that they go largely unnoticed.  These wasps are harmless to animals and people so that they are a safe, non-toxic means of biological control both stable and house flies. Fly parasites are another tool that should be considered when fighting the battle against flies on horse facilities