No fly zone!!!

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skysthelimit

skysthelimit

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Ohio
I saw them yesterday, a happy family of flies.

Not happy for very long. I still had one can of the auto spray at my disposal, and I disposed of them.

Now that the battle has begun, I need to figure out once again how I plan to take care of these pest.

Since the poop is being carted off site, this should lower their numbers. i am back to pans and stackers, so I know I dealt myself a blow there, but I can empty every other day.

Sticky tape was reasonably useful. Fly bait was useless and potentially poisonous to my dogs.

The auto sprayer was the best, but the costs, and the chemicals worry me.

(natural predator bugs are not an option). Neither are chickens, lol.

I have had no success with herbs/EOs, but that's where I am headed. I don't mind spraying them every morning/

Suggestions?
 
I use the sticky fly tape. I buy it by the case, 24 x 4 per pack. Put up 4 at a time in my shop and change them about every 10 days. I HATE flies!
swat.gif
 
I've read that Muscovy ducks are really good for fly control. Plus, they're very quiet. (Can you tell I'm trying to talk my mom into Muscovies?)
 
We basically only have the flies that form big swarms and fly in circles incessantly- I rarely see the typical "house fly" here.

I've been using the fly tapes- I found them at either Dollar Tree or the 99cent store in packs of six. I have been switching them out once or twice a week.
 
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is the best herb I know to repel flies and mosquitoes. It's an easy-to-grow perennial, a bit invasive but easy to pull if it starts to get out of hand. Cutting it back before it sets seed helps too.

There is also the baggie of water with the pennies trick. I've never tried it, but many people swear by it.
 
MaggieJ":39274r2g said:
...
There is also the baggie of water with the pennies trick. I've never tried it, but many people swear by it.
Click to expand...
LOL The ladies at the farm tried that in their office. Didn't work but hey, they tried. :p Might have to try the Catnip though. Did I mention, I HATE flies! :x
 
MaggieJ":2ughplkl said:
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is the best herb I know to repel flies and mosquitoes. It's an easy-to-grow perennial, a bit invasive but easy to pull if it starts to get out of hand. Cutting it back before it sets seed helps too.
Click to expand...

How do you use the catnip--jut grow it in the barnyard or harvest and hang bundles in the rabbit shed or . . . ?
 
Rainey":2qa28wz0 said:
MaggieJ":2qa28wz0 said:
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is the best herb I know to repel flies and mosquitoes. It's an easy-to-grow perennial, a bit invasive but easy to pull if it starts to get out of hand. Cutting it back before it sets seed helps too.
Click to expand...

How do you use the catnip--jut grow it in the barnyard or harvest and hang bundles in the rabbit shed or . . . ?
Click to expand...

Catnip will grow almost anywhere. It likes sun but will still grow in partial shade. Here it is a useful weed, growing here and there in the area around the buildings and gardens. I use it directly as an insect repellent - just mush it up and rub it on. I gather bunches to hang in the rabbitry, being sure to bruise it well so it gives off its pungent scent. When we are sitting out it is often enough just to bruise a bunch underfoot.
 
I grow tansy Tanacetum vulgare
for my fall fly repellent, since my neighbors 5 cats, and the 10 others that roam the neighborhood have thwarted my catnip growing efforts thus far. :roll: (I have a few tattered catnip plants, but never enough to use.)

It has historic use as an insect repellant.

From web MD:
It is also used to kill lice and bacteria;
Click to expand...
Tansy is also used to treat roundworm and threadworm infections in children.
Click to expand...

Although there are also potential hazards from ingesting it.
(be sure to check the "side effects" tab)
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplemen ... name=tansy


I have fed small quantities fresh and dried to rabbits, and have yet to see a negative side effect... But I would definitely avoid feeding it to kits or pregnant does.

I mainly just hang it up in big bunches around the rabbitry.
 
MaggieJ":1h0dxtnk said:
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is the best herb I know to repel flies and mosquitoes. It's an easy-to-grow perennial, a bit invasive but easy to pull if it starts to get out of hand. Cutting it back before it sets seed helps too.

There is also the baggie of water with the pennies trick. I've never tried it, but many people swear by it.
Click to expand...


Had no clue .... Learn something new every day.
 
Becky":3uayq3xv said:
I've read that Muscovy ducks are really good for fly control. Plus, they're very quiet. (Can you tell I'm trying to talk my mom into Muscovies?)
Click to expand...


LOL. Well not an option for me.
No ducks, no chickens, no more extra animals. I need to get rid of some of my rabbits, and I'm pretty sure ducks aren't legal here anyway.

I am always on the fence about chickens. First, they poop everywhere. I don't actually want them in the bunny barn, on top of cages pooping or on the pavement pooping. There there are my neighbors. I have enough trouble with them.

__________ Mon Apr 20, 2015 2:46 pm __________

MaggieJ":3uayq3xv said:
There is also the baggie of water with the pennies trick. I've never tried it, but many people swear by it.
Click to expand...


I tried it, didn't work. I figure because there is hardly no light in the barn to make any reflections. The flies gather in places in the shade, the barn, under the carport, oddly not the front porch. Must get too much afternoon sun.

Catnip is definitely something i can grow. Maybe I can use it to drug my whiney no go cat?

And Tansy. I love to grow things.

I grow lemon balm, but it doesn't seem to have any effect either.

The only thing worse than flies, are the hords of fruit flies that arrive late August.
At least they don't bite.
 
And Tansy. I love to grow things.
Click to expand...

I'd you'd like to PM me your address, I could mail you a sprouting root cluster if you'd like. It likes full sun. It's a hardy perennial that can hold it's own when planted alongside competitive herbs like mint and lemon balm, but it's also sometimes used as a companion plant in veggie beds for it's insect repellent properties.
http://www.ourherbgarden.com/tansy-companions.html
It grows quite tall though, around 4 feet, so I try to keep it in the back row of my herb bed.

I'll have to check to see if it's alright to mail to OH first though, since it can become a noxious weed, though I think it's more of a problem out west than here.
(not to be confused with tansy ragwort)

OK, it's not on the OH prohibited noxious weed list. https://plants.usda.gov/java/noxious?rp ... atefips=39 Or this updated one: http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/901%3A5-37
 
MWA-HA-HAAAHHHHH!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

This morning I ordered an enzyme product that is safe around animals and plants, completely neutralizes organic odors, changes the manure in such a way that maggots cannot survive, AND can be added to the drinking water to improve digestion and increase growth rates! :p :p :p

Meany that I am, I refuse to tell you guys what it is. It will be available for sale at my Critterz Chewzit site as soon as I receive it.

One TBSP of the powder will make 5 gallons of spray. It should be applied within 24 hours, and is best used within 4 hours.

2 ounces will be $5.00, 4 ounces $9.00, and 8 ounces $16.00. :greedy:
 
MamaSheepdog":2xdv05qk said:
MWA-HA-HAAAHHHHH!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

This morning I ordered an enzyme product that is safe around animals and plants, completely neutralizes organic odors, changes the manure in such a way that maggots cannot survive, AND can be added to the drinking water to improve digestion and increase growth rates! :p :p :p
Click to expand...

But would it harm my composting redworm populations?
 
I spoke extensively to the fellow this morning, and he said that one of his customers raises earthworms under his rabbit cages.

It did not kill the worms, but seemed to slow their production somewhat. My guess is that the worms prefer stuff that is already being "digested" by bacteria so they weren't eating it as quickly. :shrug:

The worm guy decided to just spray the manure with it when he removed it from under the cages.
 
Ok, so I'm game for the Tansy and the concentrate. <br /><br /> __________ Mon Apr 20, 2015 5:33 pm __________ <br /><br />
MamaSheepdog":byplezup said:
MWA-HA-HAAAHHHHH!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

This morning I ordered an enzyme product that is safe around animals and plants, completely neutralizes organic odors, changes the manure in such a way that maggots cannot survive, AND can be added to the drinking water to improve digestion and increase growth rates! :p :p :p

Meany that I am, I refuse to tell you guys what it is. It will be available for sale at my Critterz Chewzit site as soon as I receive it.

One TBSP of the powder will make 5 gallons of spray. It should be applied within 24 hours, and is best used within 4 hours.

2 ounces will be $5.00, 4 ounces $9.00, and 8 ounces $16.00. :greedy:
Click to expand...


I wonder if it will help with my problem. I am still losing the occasional rabbit, I bought the baycox but I'm afraid to use it.
 
I've read that black soldier flies somehow help ward off other types of fly?
I wonder..
I've never had a fly problem in my rabbitry, but do I have an active black soldier fly population in my compost area..
 
I would have no idea how to tell one fly from another.

I just want them all gone. The idea of introducing another insect population to take care of one population makes me itch. When the fruit flies come the other population goes down too. but they still are nasty, and leave fly poop on the food dishes an fan cords. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:09 am __________ <br /><br /> This property has always been a hot bed for flies. The fruit trees dropping fruit in places I can't access (my neighbors don't clean theirs up), dog waste (which is picked up but your can't get it all off grass), then I added washing raw wool and the rabbits (this is why I am so gun ho about throwing out manure). When the barn was on the other side, there were three windows, it was well lit. This side has only one window. I cut holes for ventilation, but it's still dark enough I have to turn on lights in the day time. There are no real shade spots on the property, so the flies collect in the dark side of the barn in the heat of the day :( and under my carport.
 

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