Fly control

Flies are a nuisance for both livestock and people causing stress and irritation. Under typical UK climatic conditions up to 15 generations of flies can be produced in just one year¹

Flies are responsible for the spread of diseases in livestock including some which are transmissible to humans (zoonotic).  Flies have been identified as disease vectors for avian influenza, swine dysentery, salmonella and New Forest Eye, to name a few.

Fly life cycle

The overall life cycle of the house fly (from egg to adult) is about 7–10 days in the summer in warm temperate areas.

As stated in the previous sections, rates of development of each stage are dependent upon temperature.

Often the temperature of the decaying and fermenting larval medium is considerably higher than the prevailing air temperature, however, so that development occurs much faster than anticipated by the climatic conditions.

The times required for completion of development may be expressed as degree-hours or degree-days which are the multiple of time (hours or days) and number of degrees of temperature (°C or °F) above the threshold temperature for development.

Typical values for the life stages of the house fly are:

Typical days required for the total life cycle at various temperatures are:

Fly species

• The most common species are:
• House fly (Musca domestica)
• Lesser House fly (Fannia spp)
• Black Garbage fly (Ophyra spp)
• Horn fly (Haematobia irritans)
• Head fly (Hydrotea irritans)
• Stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans)
• Face fly (Musca autumnalis)

Timing

Flies can be a problem all year round, especially in poultry production sites.  In outdoor livestock production systems, the main months for fly problems are May, June, July and August.  However, with warmer, earlier summers, fly problems are starting sooner and lasting longer.

Environmental control

By controlling the environment in which flies breed, fly populations on farm may be reduced. Reducing fly breeding sites, efficient dung/waste management, good drainage and drain management will help limit fly problems.

Chemical methods can also play a valuable role in controlling the fly population by breaking the fly life cycle. As adult flies are only 20% of the total fly population, with immature eggs accounting for 80%, it is advisable to use a larvacide and adulticide concurrently.

Larvacides:

• Kill the larvae (maggots)
• Stop larvae from ever developing into flies 
• Cyromazine (NEPOREX®) is  an environmental larvacide available in the UK
• For maximum effect, adulticides and larvacides should be used concurrently 

Fly breeding areas for larvacide treatment:

• Anywhere muck or manure accumulates
• Areas where urine, faeces, and feed are found
• Silage storage areas

Adulticides:

• Knock down’ products kill flies on application, e.g. classic fly sprays
• ‘Residual’ products such as OXYFLY®, containing lambda-cyhalothrin, and SpY®, based on the natural product spinosad, continue to kill flies after application
• Use residual products where adult flies rest:

1. Posts
2. Sunny wall areas
3. Window frames
4. Lights
5. Under feed troughs

• SpY®, containing spinosad, has no cross resistance with other fly control insecticides

Always use pesticides/biocides safely

Related products

References

1. Stable flies and house flies at Nebraska. J.B. Campbell, S.R. Skoda, D.R. Berkebile and G.D. Thomas.