Introduction to Fly Control
In nature, wherever there are animals
there are flies and these local fly population undergo
natural fluctuations. When the weather is warm and
moist, high concentrations are the norm, while cold and
dry conditions typically induce lower populations. The
concentration of a fly population depends on a number of
factors, which are accentuated, wherever man has
domesticated animals. Wherever livestock is kept in
greater than natural populations, there will be similar
high populations of flies and these have been the focus
of ongoing fly control programs.
 High concentrations of flies cause both physical
annoyances to humans and livestock, as well as posing a
significant health concern. The most common flies found
in agricultural settings can be classified into two
groups. The first group is comprised of flies that are
annoying. These can be a general nuisance as well as a
vector for disease. Several studies have shown negative
economic impacts on agricultural operations including
lower meat, milk and egg production that are directly
attributable to the fly related stress on the livestock.
The second group consists of biting flies which can be
both annoying and a vector for blood borne diseases.
Medical journals have documented the transmission of
numerous pathogens and diseases by both types of flies.
It is the goal of every agricultural operation to
develop an effective, cost effective solution to fly
control. As with the evolution of any sustainable
solution, one must first fully understand the problem
and in this case acquire a comprehensive knowledge of
flies including what species of flies are present, life
(reproductive) cycle, as well as behaviour and
environmental factors that promote survival. While this
might seem like a daunting task, most fly species have
similar biology so control programs can begin with the
same common assumptions and then each program can be
fine tuned to the needs of the individual operation.
Fly Biology
Flies are cold-blooded and require
external heat in order to fly around and reproduce.
Temperature is one of the cornerstones in the life cycle
of flies. The warmer it is (up to about 45 degrees C)
the faster flies can reproduce. At 21 degrees C (70 F)
the life cycle of house and stable flies is about 14
days. If the temperature is cooler, the cycle is longer
and if the temperature is warmer, the cycle will be
shorter. This helps to explain why more flies are around
during the summer than the early spring. A female fly
can lay about 900 eggs over a one month period and these
eggs hatch into larvae (maggots) in about two days.
During this phase the flies are aggressively eating
enough food (manure or compost) to develop into an
adult. The larvae then changes into a pupae stage of
development and it is in this stage that the fly is
transforming from a larvae into an adult. The pupae does
not feed but uses nourishment from the larval stage to
complete its transformation. The adult fly emerges from
the pupae and starts the life cycle over again. Under
ideal conditions, and if every offspring survived, one
female fly could produce enough flies to cover the earth
to a depth of 50 feet in one summer. In reality, there
are natural controls that make sure that only a
relatively low number (less than 5%) of the flies
survive. Consider also, that at any one time, only about
20% of the fly population is in the adult stage. The
rest of the population is in the larval or pupal stages.
This factor is key in understanding how effective fly
management can be achieved.
Besides temperature, the other factors that are critical
to the fly’s reproductive potential are food supply and
moisture. Manure and compost are the two major food and
moisture sources in modern animal husbandry operations.
How manure is handled will greatly influence the
effectiveness of any fly control operation.
Summary
Flies cannot be eliminated, but their
numbers can be kept at a tolerable level.
The goal of every fly control program is to reduce the
fly population to a level that is acceptable.
Temperature, food and moisture are critical to the
reproductive cycle and understanding how these elements
are required during the life cycle of the flies is
important in developing an effective fly control
program.
It would then seem that the most effective approach to
controlling the fly population would be to attack both
the adult flies and the developing flies. An approach
that is utilized in controlling numerous insect pests is
called Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and it consist
of three main approaches to controlling pests. As the
name implies there is an integration of cultural
controls, biological controls and chemical controls to
achieve a very effective pest control program. In the
controlling of flies, an integrated approach can be
developed to address adult populations, developing
flies, as well as the food and moisture components of
the equation.
Please call us for a no obligation discussion on a
customized fly control program. We are not after a fast
sell, but rather we hope to have a long-term satisfied
customer. Our business has grown across Canada virtually by
word of mouth and we welcome all enquires. Our commitment to
you is to create the BEST, MOST ECONOMICAL AND LONG-TERM
BIOLOGICAL FLY CONTROL PROGRAM
Our neighbour was using fly
parasites last year and raved about how they worked.
We did notice fewer flies last year but thought it
was just a natural occurrence. We decided to try the
parasites this year and WOW. The flies at both of
our barns are so low you hardly notice them—not like
is previous years. We have been converted!!!
Alison Y.
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