Fly Preditors

[Tobey]

Someone at work suggested buying Fly Preditors to take care of the fly problem. According to their website, Fly Predators are tiny, completely biteless and stingless. They never become a pest themselves. After they’ve emerged, their single minded pursuit is to reproduce by finding pest fly pupa. Because of their small size and the fact they live their entire life cycle on or near manure (where the pest fly pupa are typically found) Fly Predators go virtually unnoticed.

I looked up on the internet and found the website: http://www.spalding-labs.com/home.php

Anyone try this?

 

[Karin - NaKar Miniatures]

I have a friend that is going on her 2nd or 3rd year of using them and she is happy with the results that she had had with them. She scatters them in her barn and run in sheds. They are so tiny you can barely see them.

 

[bcody]

I have never heard of them, they sound intereting. We put up Purple Martin houses this year, and that is, IMHO, the BEST insect control. We never had to put fly spray on the horses this year. We will add some more houses for next year. They ate all bugs including mosquitos and hatched two batches of babies who will hopefully return next year. They did a great job on 5 acres of pasture!

 

[alphahorses]

I got a promotional for them this year and used them for the first time. Normally flies are not bad on my farm, but for the first time I started a manure compost pile and the flies have been HORRIBLE.

So I started using them ... took about 45 days and I have seen an INCREDIBLE difference. I am definitely sold!

 

[justjinx]

i am familiar with these but have never used them. glad to hear they work well! jennifer

 

[Feather1414]

We use them, and I must say, THEY WORK WELL!

 

[appypintolady]

I started using them this year. I signed up for them to be sent to me monthly staring in April and then every month at the first of the month I get my shipment. I think they help alot, a friend of mine who doesn't use them says she has ALOT more flies than I do.

 

[wildoak]

Yes! I'm using them for the second season around my foaling barn, and have seen a big difference. I have a fly spray system in the main barn but may use the fly predators there next year as well, and just not fill the system.

Jan

 

[MountainViewMiniatures]

We use them and they are great for flys- doesn't work on mosquitos though! Just be careful if you have chickens - they will eat them.

 

[Erica]

I will be different

I used the Fly Predators all last year and didn't see hardly ANY difference at all..........

I have much better luck with my automatic fly spray system and during the summer just set it were it sprays a few times extra a day.

 

[justaboutgeese]

While the concept is interesting the cost seems higher than conventional methods of insect control. Just from the economic point they are not cost effective for my situation. Our lawn ornaments (English Game Hens) would have a negative impact on their effectiveness. On the plus side their use would reduce the chemical controls we are currently using. I have always been concerned with chemical controls in the buildings because of the possible contamination of hay and bedding. One neighbor has a manure pile that gets spread twice a year and the number of flys that generates makes fly control essential. If I could talk him into using them 90% of my problem will go away. But alas he is a very frugel farmer and I doubt he would stand the expense.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

We try to keep the chemicals to a minimum here, so use traps and the predator wasps and have used them for about two years at this place. There is definitely a difference in flies. It does take about five years to build up a resident population from what I've read/been told. You do have to start before fly season and continue into the late fall. We had our last order in late September last year, then a heat wave in late October - the beginning of November was miserable with flies! So this year we started in March and will continue thru November.

We buy about 25,000 a month and distribute them primarily around our house, the closest pens to us and expand out with every other shipment. We do have chickens though, so have to place them were they are least likely to find them and have a feast!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

We have used them in the past on our large manure pile near the barn (small property) and they do a great job. Never see them again once they've been distributed and the flies just magically disappear a few weeks later.

Leia