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| Technical Bulletins- Fly Parasites |
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Muscidifurax & Spalangia
Fly Exterminator
Parasitic Wasps
Target Pest:
Controls flies in animal manure accumulations and other filth fly breeding
sites. Very effective against the housefly, biting stable flies, garbage
flies, and the lesser housefly which make up to 95% of the flies in manure
and other site accumulations. Five percent of the other flies are also
parasitized, such as false stable flies, face flies, flesh flies and
horn flies, but control is less complete on those flies which complete
their life cycle widely dispersed in the pasture.
Description:
These small parasitic wasps are the most natural enemy of flies during
the pupa stage. We provide several species of the tiny wasps in the genera
Muscidifurax and Spalangia that attack and have adapted to different climates
with a higher proportion of Spalangia in proportion to Muscidifurax. The
eggs of the parasitic wasps are laid inside the flies pupae and the developing
flies provide food from within for the young wasps.
Parasitic wasps do not bite, sting, swarm or bother anything else, humans
or animals included. Parasitic wasps are nocturnal and are rarely seen
during the day. They operate to a depth of 8 inches in the manure, homing
in with their biological radar on fly larvae that are about to pupate.
Product information:
Parasitic wasps arrive in woodshavings developing inside the fly pupa and
when fully grown they will cut a hole in the pupal case and exit as adults
searching for more fly larvae, seeking to lay their eggs where the flies
pupate. The parasites must not be left in direct sunlight or hot areas.
They need to be held at 70° to 80°F, increasing to 85°F for
more rapid emergence. They should be emerging and ready to release within
a day or two.
Release Rates:
A small handful or spoonful of the parasitized fly pupae in woodshavings
is sprinkled either on manure or in furrows and then lightly covered to
protect from birds. The widest possible dispersal of the parasites
is best. Top priority release sites are barns, stables, kennels, in and around coops,
stalls, with special attention to hospital and calf pens on dairies and
horse stalls, on feedlots and wherever straw bedding is provided for animals.
Place also around corral posts, fence lines, paddock areas and other dropping
sites, at the edges of manure piles, pits or carts, and wherever manure
accumulates. Having other fly-breeding areas near (but never directly in)
water sources, and near decomposing matter, garbage cans and septic tanks.
Preventative measure to prevent fly build-up is a much easier strategy
than getting rid of them. A few flies always will survive the cold and
drying conditions of winter in the pupa stage. In early spring
parasites should be released at the first sign of emerging or immigrating
adults
to minimize the number of adult flies that are laying eggs. Very early
releases can be smaller in number, increasing the quantity at the first
sign of active breeding. Once the parasites are established fewer parasites
may over-winter outdoors, but yearly augmentation is necessary in order
to prevent a build-up of flies.
Strategies in Reducing the Number of Adult Flies:
In order to have a successful integrated fly control program it is imperative
to keep the number of adult flies down because a single fly can lay up
to 800 eggs and a single parasite will attack less than 50 fly pupae developing
from all those fly eggs. An advantage the flies have is that they have
a shorter life cycle (8 days in hot weather and up to 14 days in moderate
weather), giving greater reproductive capability and are capable of traveling
greater distances. Flies tend to resist the effect of pesticides more than
the parasites do because the population of fly parasites need continuous
reinforcement through augmentative releases of parasites to maintain a
high level of fly control.
Bait Trapping: Bait trapping is highly recommended to accompany fly parasite
releases for adult flies. Using some non-poisonous materials or chemicals
can be useful when they are made into sugar baits and fed to the adult
flies. It is both economical and safe to use bait traps to kill large numbers
of adult flies without interfering with biological controls. In order to
lessen the fly problems during the first few weeks of summer it is important
to lower the adult fly density before seasonal hot weather arrives and
also during the period of time it takes for the beneficials to reproduce
to larger numbers in the manure. In areas with humid weather and wet manure
accumulations both releases of parasites and bait stations are needed to
give excellent fly management. Inside each barn or shady area one bait
trap should be set up when you start releasing parasites. The number of
traps should be increased along with parasite releases until the adult
flies are gone.
Managing Manure: In order to help limit fly problems it is imperative to
practice good sanitation which will then eliminate the conditions which
are favorable to fly breeding. Removig manure frequently reduces fly parasite
breeding areas. While leaving a little of the top layer of manure in place
in order to leave some of the complete complex of beneficials to keep destroying
the flies.
Keep manure dry and eliminate wet areas where possible while maintaining
ventilation. Clean up feed spills where possible. Use hydrated lime where
animals urinate frequently. In cases where there are large amounts of manure,
the manure can be managed in a pond or a storage area where non-aerobic
digestion is accomplished or by aerobic composting systems. Manure which
is unprocessed can be piled and covered which will reduce the surface and
heat built up to reduce fly breeding. Dry manure does not breed flies,
but a moisture content of 50% to 80% is where fly breeding occurs and is
also where the fly parasites work best.
Guidelines for Parasite Estimation:
Per Large Animal - 500 to 1,000 parasites per month, will also depend on
the concentration of manure.
Per Small Animal - Two parasites per month
Double up when fly problems are severe and cutting back when the parasites
are well-established and/or when the weather is cooler and drier.
For small rancher or homeowner - packages of 2,000 and 5,000 parasites
are available.
For larger projects - colonies of 10,000 are used, parasites are sent as
approximately 13,400 to 14,500 parasitized pupae at approximately 75% parasitism.
Typical Program Schedules:
Compost (per 100 cubic yards) 5 - 15 colonies/month.
*Schedule every week or two during fly season.
Dairies (approximately 100 cows) 2 - 4 colonies/month.
*Schedule weekly during fly season.
Feedlots (approximately 1,000 heads) 4 - 9 colonies/month.
*Schedule every 1-2 weeks during fly season.
Poultry (approximtely 10,000 breeders) 2 - 4 colonies/month.
*Schedule every week or two as manure piles up.
Stables (up to 30 horses) 1 - 4 colonies/month.
*Schedule every 2 to 4 weeks during fly season.
Life span:
A generation of fly parasites is completed every 3 weeks yielding a steady
reproduction of parasites. An adult wasp lives about 10 days. With the
geometric increase in populations, a reduction in flies can be expected
in 4 to 6 weeks. Almost every fly breeding at your location will eventually
be killed. Flies still can be migrating in, so biological control would
work best if the whole neighborhood would use biological control.
Strategic Considerations:
All natural enemies of flies are susceptible to pesticides, particularly
when directed at manure. Adult populations may be reduced with poison baits.
Adult fly resting areas should only be sprayed with long residual pesticides.
In doing this you will conserve the natural enemies and prevent the development
of resistance and reduce toxic pollution. |
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