Pest Management
Use Fly Parasites As Part of a Complete Integrated Pest Managent Program
Monitor and Keep Records Keep some kind of records of relative fly numbers. These can be recorded as number of fly specks on 3” X 5” cards, or the numbers of flies caught on sticky tapes in a given period of time. Records of past fly population will help in making decisions. One of the easiest ways to interpret the data is in graph form.
Cultural Control Control moisture in the manure by ensuring proper drainage, stopping leaks, and keeping fans in good operating condition. Leave an absorbent base of old manure after cleanout to help control moisture. Fly parasites and other fly predators prefer manure moisture of less than 70%. When manure is coning, that is a good indication that the moisture content is satisfactory.
Conserve your beneficial parasites and predators during cleanout by leaving some of the old surface manure in the barn. Some farms clean out in phases so that there is always old manure in the barn to serve as a source of beneficials. Another way is to leave some old manure along the edges when cleaning out.
Biological Control Conserve natural population as mentioned above. Use either the 4-week Inoculation Plan or the 8-week Saturation Plan to reestablish the fly parasite population.
Reestablish Hister Beetle Population using trapping methods or by purchasing Adult Hister Beetles. Ask your supplier for information regarding Hister Beetle products.
Chemical Control Use chemical pesticides only when necessary.
Kill adult flies with fly baits, fly traps, and/or residual sprays on fly resting spots (walls, lines in ceilings). Avoid contaminating the manure with insecticides so that you don’t harm the beneficials. If a heavier adult knockdown is required, a space spray with synergised pyrethrum will kill the adult flies and do the least harm to the fly parasites.
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