Fly Population 0, How To?

[Pink]

I noticed 2, then 3 flies mating in the rabbitry today. While I maintain the cages and floor immaculately clean, the humid weather has increased the intensity of the buck's urine odor... Which I'm thinking is what attracted them.

If you read my other thread about a micro centipede, you've probably noticed that I'm not much of an bug fan. I don't want these little buggers laying their eggs everywhere.

How can I keep their population to 0?

Sadly, we don't have any spiders... Just flies, several earwigs and a few potato bugs. Yuck.

Leon ate all the catnip I was trying to grow. Catnip is scarce in my area, so I'm not sure if a few small bruised catnip plants will do any good. If I rip them all out, they'll be nothing left.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Last year the flies were roosting in the rafters of our BunnyBarn, and I used diatomaceous earth and blew the powder all over the beams. The population dropped dramatically. In fact, you might even say they were dropping like flies... :roll:

 

[Pink]

Last year the flies were roosting in the rafters of our BunnyBarn, and I used diatomaceous earth and blew the powder all over the beams. The population dropped dramatically. In fact, you might even say they were dropping like flies... :roll:

ETA- Nevermind, it was stupid question.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

It is a great natural wormer, and miticide. I take it myself occasionally- 2 TBSP mixed with water. It tastes like dirt- in fact that's what we call it. "Mom, have you taken your dirt today?" "Why yes, dear... would you like your serving of mud now?"

 

[Pink]

I found this place: http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/buy_d ... earth.html

But where do you buy yours? Can it be found locally?

 

[Secuono]

....regular fat black flies???
Every store sells traps and tape.
Disposable bag traps as far away from the house and barn as possible, but still on your property.
Hang the giant 1ft wide fly tape where you see them the most and right above the bag traps.

Here is a section of my tape, I have others with just solid black of flies!!

 

[Diamond]

A fan blowing across the cages will help. Fly predators wherever your manure eventually goes (assuming you have a compost pile somewhere). Tape and DTE (diatamcious earth) are great tools, too.

We have horses, pigs, etc on a small acreage, and the neighbors have an overcrowded alpaca farm next door... so flies are just a huge pain no matter what..... everybody gets wormed with Ivermectin to control bot fly diseases. Even at their best the flies are a nuisance that is tolerated with the warm weather.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I found this place: http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/buy_d ... earth.html

But where do you buy yours? Can it be found locally?

That's where I got mine, but I'm in CA. Try googling "food grade diatomaceous earth Ontario" and see what comes up. I bought 200lbs because all of the animals eat it, and I use it in the garden as well.

 

[MaggieJ]

Try Homestead Organics.
They are near Ottawa, but distribute over much of Ontario.

http://www.homesteadorganics.ca/meet-our-team.aspx

Pink, catnip should grow really well in your area. It may just take some protection to get it started.

 

[Pink]

Try Homestead Organics.
They are near Ottawa, but distribute over much of Ontario.

http://www.homesteadorganics.ca/meet-our-team.aspx

Pink, catnip should grow really well in your area. It may just take some protection to get it started.

I just found a few small patches of catnip on a ravine, behind a cemetery... Haven't seen it anywhere else.

I pulled some out, keeping the roots intact, and brought home enough soil to fill my pots. Leon devoured it. The others quickly died. I'm going to the cemetery tomorrow, so I'll try to get some more.

 

[Starsider]

Fly predators are AWESOME and totally worth it. I've seen them used in boarding and lesson barns I've been in, and they do an awesome job. You never see the predators, they are literally that tiny. You might see one pinprick-sized black dot fly across the room once in a blue moon, but other than that, you don't notice them at all.

 

[Pink]

A fan blowing across the cages will help. Fly predators wherever your manure eventually goes (assuming you have a compost pile somewhere). Tape and DTE (diatamcious earth) are great tools, too.

We have horses, pigs, etc on a small acreage, and the neighbors have an overcrowded alpaca farm next door... so flies are just a huge pain no matter what..... everybody gets wormed with Ivermectin to control bot fly diseases. Even at their best the flies are a nuisance that is tolerated with the warm weather.

What's a fly predator? Is it a product, or are we taking about spiders and Muscovey ducks?

Droppings are picked up 3 times a day and are thrown into the garbage. No compost.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Fly predators are a parasitic wasp I think- they are sold mostly to horse owners. The owner of the ranch where I do artificial insemination uses them in conjunction with other control measures. They come in a little bag shipped monthly and are applied to the manure piles. The wasp (?) lays its eggs on the cocoons that the maggots make before becoming flies- and the young fly predators (maggots themselves at that point) eat the pupating fly. Fly predators do not attack adult flies- they control the population by preventing the fly larvae to mature and breed themselves. Here is a link: http://www.spalding-labs.com/horses/Wha ... ators.aspx

Personally, I use diatomaceous earth both as a feed-through control, and dust the manure with it. I also use sticky traps, those reeking fly bags, and have recently added a "maggot bucket" to the chicken coop. We still have flies- but they aren't a huge problem.

 

[~Abstract~]

Natures Farmacy sells food grade DE. You can buy the garden grade DE at Lowes or other garden centers. Just stay away from the pool filter DE.

 

[skysthelimit]

Gardeniq.com and pure earth on ebay.

 

[Lilbunnyfoofoo]

Personally, I use diatomaceous earth both as a feed-through control, and dust the manure with it. I also use sticky traps, those reeking fly bags, and have recently added a "maggot bucket" to the chicken coop. We still have flies- but they aren't a huge problem.

MS, what do you mean by feed-through. Are you applying it to their food?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

MS, what do you mean by feed-through. Are you applying it to their food?

Yes. I add 1 cup per 50lb bag of feed (pellets, grains, chicken feed, cat food, etc.)- we also put it in our dry food storage to prevent weevil and moth infestations. It is claimed that it kills internal parasites and when passed in the manure controls maggots. It has nutritional value as well- if the horses don't get it, they start chewing the boards of the fence. If the barncats don't get it, their kittens have a higher mortality rate.

We have a grey mare that the cattle flies absolutely love to feast on, so we apply it to her coat which cuts their numbers dramatically. I also put it in the chicken coop so the chickens can take dust baths in it to control mites. I use it in the garden primarily as aphid control, but apply it only to plants that are not flowering- it will kill bees as well, and I don't want that!

 

[Lilbunnyfoofoo]

I had no idea it has so many uses. The DH got some for use arond the garden but sonds like I'll be using it for the buns as well.

 

[MaggieJ]

Pink, if Leon is a cat, then you may have to protect the catnip from him until it is established. A length of chicken wire around it and squished in at the top should work. Putting rocks around the roots will protect them from over-eager moggies. That way, even if they chomp it down to the ground it will still recover. Catnip is incredibly resilient.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Also, add a tsp per gallon of drinking water-- vanilla--' flies, for some reason, seem to avoid the 'sky' shades of blue, as well. OIf you have the rtyype of terrain the bluebirds like-- strategically placed bluebird houses can encourage some welcome featehred friends. Bathouses, as well..