FLIES!!!

[wildoak]

I figure the pesticide is less dangerous than the diseases the flys and mosquitos carry.

Same conclusion I reached. I do use predators in a smaller barn up by the house, and they work well...but not many horses up there and it's an open barn. I've used a spray system in the main barn for years and it seems to be the only thing that really consistently works. Was hoping to do away with it this year, and gave the predators a shot but the flies just got worse and worse until I gave up and filled the spray barrel again. I may not have used enough of them, just as costly I think as using the spray system but I would prefer not having chemicals spray all the time - IF it worked. For an individual spray, I think Endure is the best. Have tried the "green" sprays...not very effective here.

Jan

 

[Mareish Mom]

Chickens! I don't pick my fields or runs at all. The chickens spread the manure out and pick any fly larvae that manages to hatch before the manure dries in the sun. Now I'm not going to say I don't have ANY flies, but my horses can go up into the runs or barn stalls during the hottest stickiest part of the day with poop underfoot and there won't be flies there. There are more flies in my chicken coop than at the barn LOL. Oh, and I agree for wounds, SWAT.

 

[Genie]

Haven't read all the responses so forgive me if I am repeating any suggestions.

Muskovy ducks eat thousands of flies daily however our pair were killed by a fox.

I use Avon's Skin so Soft and have sticky fly tape strung up near the ceilings in the barn which catch hundreds of flies as well.

 

[Magic]

Muskovy ducks eat thousands of flies daily however our pair were killed by a fox.

Would you mind telling us if there are any "cons" to having Muscovy ducks around, please? I have livestock guardian dogs so once I got them trained to protect the ducks they'd be pretty safe (except if they wander too far off and an eagle gets them, there's usually one or more patrolling the skies around here).

Other people havementioned other kinds of birds, could I hear pros and cons of those too please? Getting rid of adult flies and other bugs would be nice.

I agree on the fly predators, one does need to be ordering enough for them to work well, and it helps to have them arrive every three weeks rather than every four, since their life cycle varies from than that of the fly. And yes, if neighbors have animals then you either want to get them on the program too, or buy extra.