Posted 2004-04-17 8:02 AM (#7213) Subject: Fly control made easy
Veteran
Posts: 194 Location: Chesterfield, Bygod Va.
As I mentioned in another post if you have horses you gotta have this. I have been using them for 3 years now and you would not believe the dramatic drop in the fly population that these little bugs can acheive.I actually have less flies than some of my friends have that don't have horses.
Has anybody else used any other products for fly control to reccomend?
Posted 2004-04-17 7:08 PM (#7236 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Member
Posts: 37 Location: New Mexico
I've heard about these little critter but never tried them. It sounds as though they are a little miracle sent from God to all horse owners. Might give it a try, one of my horses is allergic to flies (poor little guy).
Posted 2004-04-18 11:16 AM (#7248 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Expert
Posts: 1719 Location: PA
One way to have fewer flies in the barn is to clean stalls 2x's a day and use pelleted bedding. Pelleted bedding does not attract flies the way shavings and straw does.
Posted 2004-04-19 7:13 AM (#7263 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Regular
Posts: 77 Location: Paoli, IN USA
I've been hearing good things about these Fly Predator wasps and have thought about using them. I hesitate because of the "miracle" ladybug that has become such a nuisance in this area. What keeps these wasps from causing other problems like those #@&! ladybugs have?
Posted 2004-04-19 5:00 PM (#7299 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Regular
Posts: 70 Location: Nebraska
We have used the little wasps for fly control for the past two years, and this will be our third year using them. They have worked great; the number of flies has dropped dramatically making both the people and the horses happier.
Posted 2004-04-23 8:10 AM (#7560 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Regular
Posts: 97 Location: Kansas
I think those "ladybugs" you mentioned are not actually lady bugs, they are Asian Beetles. :-) Everyone has had problems with them in the Midwest. I am not sure if they do any harm, but they are quite a nuisance in the fall. I too have been thinking about using the predator wasps. We compost our manure from daily stall cleaning to help kill worm eggs, but that doesn't help much with the loose manure in the dry lot. I am guessing the flies around here are having a hey day laying eggs in my compost pile and my dry lot?? We also have a lot of cattle within a half a mile on both sides of us. Will the predator flies do us any good with cow manure nearby?
Posted 2004-04-23 10:13 PM (#7593 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
The predators will go where the flys are. If you have enough flys, they will stay put. If not some will move to the cow pastures. I have horses and cows and the dungbeetles, while they don't do anything for the flys, do a great job of breaking up and moving the manure. With them around I don't have to worry about the piles building up in the pasture.
Posted 2004-04-25 11:56 AM (#7634 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
New User
Posts: 2
Here is another good product for fly control. We have been using it for 3 years and it does help cut down on fly reproduction. We use the big lick tubs but it does come in smaller blocks for lone horses. Our horses love it. It needs to be started late winter/early spring before the fly season starts. We just use it year round as it has minerals and stuff in it too. It has less protein in it than the ones for cows.
Posted 2004-04-26 6:55 AM (#7661 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Member
Posts: 24
Location: PA
Is this stuff for real! The preditors. I usally go by the odl saying, if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. But I'd like to give this a try because it does not sound all that expensive. I have six horses, 10 cows and about fifty chickens. Does any one else have this many animals and if so does it work with that many?
Posted 2005-06-12 9:03 AM (#26396 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Expert
Posts: 2689
I've read the Spalding Labs site, I think I believe it all.
What I'm not (yet) understanding is;
If there is a constant supply of manure (check), that consistantly attracts flies (check), that continue to multiply (check), then why don't the predators establish a more or less permanent colony ? or do they ?
i.e. why do I have to get "fresh" predators from Spalding every month ?
Posted 2005-06-12 9:20 AM (#26398 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Regular
Posts: 97 Location: Kansas
I tried using these predators last summer. I didn't see any difference. In fact, by the time late summer arrived, the face flies here were horrible. In the literature that comes with the wasp shipment, Spalding says if you have neighbors within 1/4 -1/2 mile that own horses, cattle etc. they need to use the predators also. Flies will travel. Our neighbors have cattle within 1/2 mile to a mile of us in all directions...I doubt I could talk these old timers into to buying the predators. I clean my stalls daily, compost the manure, etc...but still have horrible face flies by August. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get ride of those before they arrive?
Posted 2005-06-12 12:40 PM (#26403 - in reply to #7661) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Regular
Posts: 50 Location: Portland, OR
Ron,
Yes, they are for real! And they work! Well worth the cost.
> Does any one else have this many animals and if so does it work with that >many?
Yes it can work for that many. The number of predator flies they send is determined by the number of animals you have. But, as another poster stated, if your neighbor (1/4-1/2 mile away) also has manure producers...then your results will be less dramatic because their flies will still reproduce/hatch and wander over to your place.
Placement of the predators is important too. They say the predators can travel about 30 feet. For us, they recommended sprinkling some on the manure pile and some around the paddock and barn.
I would encourage anyone who is interested to contact Spalding Labs. They were very willing to talk by phone and patiently answer any questions.
Posted 2005-06-12 2:41 PM (#26406 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Location: KY
Have used the fly predators but had a problem with poison drift from cotton fields killing the good bugs. Now we are using the fly sticky tape system; have 2 runs the length (104 feet) of the barn, along with the metered sprays, fly bait and the propane fogger as needed (works well on mosquitoes. Its just a never ending problem until frost.....
Posted 2005-06-12 4:18 PM (#26410 - in reply to #26406) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
The "drift" off of the neighbours fields bothers me more than the flys. I don't allow my kids or pets/horses out when the crop dusters are flying or the sprayers are being used.
Posted 2005-06-13 1:47 PM (#26462 - in reply to #7213) Subject: RE: Fly control made easy
Regular
Posts: 53
I just tried these little guys this year for the first time. I have received one shipment. Does anyone know if these things can survive the major rain and cold weather we've been having in NW Colorado?
Fly control made easy
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Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get ride of those before they arrive?