It is best to start releasing Fly Parasites in outdoor settings as soon as the first flies start emerging. Some flies always survive the winter and it is much easier to gain control at this stage rather than waiting until the fly population is well established. In Canada, use the following parameters to decide when to start releasing Fly Parasites in the spring.
The best time to start your Fly Parasite program is when you observe flies starting to swarm on the south side of the barns AND when heavy frosts have passed.
In heated barns such as those for hogs, egg layers and other cyclic operations, Fly Parasites can be introduced at any time, but it is most cost effective to introduce them after the barns have been cleaned out. This usually coincides with the introduction of new animals.
Fly Parasites are shipped while they are developing inside of a fly pupa. Each of the fly pupae looks like a dark grain of rice and it is amazing to think that when the Fly Parasites have matured, they will emerge from the pupae and start hunting down fly pupae in your barn. When you receive a bag of Fly Parasites, you will notice that a few have hatched and are crawling around. It is best to release the Fly Parasites as soon as possible; however they can be kept at 8-12 degrees Celsius for a few days if necessary.
There are a couple of methods to release the Fly Parasites to maximize their effectiveness. For releases on manure piles, it is best to scratch a shallow (2.5 cm or 1″ deep) trench along the perimeter of the pile. Spread the Fly Parasites in the trench and cover with about 1cm (1/2″) of manure. This covering will protect the hatching parasites from predators such as birds or rodents. The Fly Parasites can burrow up to about 15 cm (6″ into the manure looking for fly pupae so they have no trouble in emerging from a 2.5 cm (1″) trench. If predators are not a problem, the Fly Parasites can be sprinkled directly on top of the manure or compost.
Fly Parasites should also be spread along the fence lines or paddock enclosures or in the straw pack in barns. There are further suggestions on where to release Fly Parasites for maximum effectiveness in each of the pages for horses, dairy/cattle, poultry and eggs and hogs.
Another popular release method is to make a small bag out of door screening and to put some of the Fly Parasites into this bag and hang it in your barn where animals cannot reach it. The screening should be big enough for the emerging Fly Parasites to pass through but small enough so the fly pupae cannot fall through. You can see some of the little wasps when they arrive and can then determine the right size of screening.
The question always is-how many Fly Parasites do I need? This depends on three factors. The first consideration is how good are the sanitation practices and how the manure is handled. If the manure is wide spread, it will be much harder to gain fly control than if it is contained in a pile. The second consideration is the amount of manure that is produced and this is a function of the number and size of the livestock. The final consideration is the tolerance level of the individual. Nobody wants flies but the spectrum can be from a high tolerance level to the acceptance of only a few flies.
A good starting guideline is to gauge 1000-1500 Fly Parasites per large animal (horses), 500-600 per small animal (sheep, alpacas) and 3-5 per bird every two weeks. Farms with a greater number of animals will require fewer Fly Parasites per animal. Normally it is recommended that the first two shipments be twice the normal shipments in order to build up the Fly Parasite population quicker and get more effective control. The number of Fly Parasites required can also be influenced by the weather, with a possible decrease needed in cool or dry conditions and more may be needed in warm and humid conditions.
We strongly recommend using a method that targets adult flies as part of your fly control program.
Please contact us for a NO OBLIGATION discussion on a customized fly control program utilizing fly parasites (1-888-668-7264).
We strongly recommend using a method that targets adult flies as part of your fly control program.
Please contact us for a NO OBLIGATION discussion on a customized fly control program (1-888-668-7264). 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 inquiries. Our commitment to you is to create the BEST, MOST ECONOMICAL AND LONG-TERM BIOLOGICAL FLY CONTROL PROGRAM.
