When it comes to your fly control options, many equestrians look to a multi-pronged approach to attack biting insects from every angle. At The Cheshire Horse, we are excited to introduce another product which will help our customers battle the bugs. Fly Predators from Spalding Labs are an all-natural way to control the fly population on your property, without utilizing any chemicals or pesticides. Keep reading to learn how fly predators can assist your fly control protocol and have your frequently asked questions regarding fly predators answered.
What Are Fly Predators?
Simply put, fly predators are tiny insects that are native to North America. These little bugs feed on the fly larvae in the pupa or cocoon stage, which serves as a natural form of population control. This prevents the larvae from developing into breeding and biting adult flies. Fly predators do not bite or sting, and do not not pose a threat to humans or larger animals.
Spalding Labs sells a combination of several insect species under the Fly Predator title. These species include Muscidifurax raptorellus, Spalangia cameroni, Spalangia endius, and Muscidifurax zarapto, all which work together in harmony to reduce the numbers of various species of flies such as the common house fly, stable fly, and horn fly.
I’m Already Using Fly Spray, Do I Really Need Fly Predators?
Yes. Fly sprays, bug bombs, traps, and bait only work on adult flies. When you add fly predators to your insect control regime, you are targeting fly larvae. By using fly predators in your program you are taking steps to influence the amount of flies that are hatching, which directly affects the amount of adult flies on your property in the future. According to Tom Spalding, the President of Spalding Labs, “Adult flies only represent about 15% of the fly population at any given time. It is important to implement a fly control program that looks to the future and reduces that population.” Many equestrians find that fly predators are an appropriate way to drastically reduce the total number of flies on their property.
Will Fly Predators Bother My Horses?
Not at all! These tiny insects have no interest in your horses, only the flies and fly larvae that seek out their manure. Not only will fly predators steer clear of you and your horses, but they will also amplify the quality of your horse’s life by limiting the amount of horse flies and black flies buzzing around them.
Can I Use Fly Spray If I Have Fly Predators?
Absolutely. In fact, we encourage it. The fly predators solely work to decrease the number of the fly larvae and do not immediately influence the amount of adult flies. If your horse or livestock is being bothered by flies and biting insects, we recommend using a natural fly spray, such as Spalding Fly Products Bye Bye Insects Spray, which uses essential oils and botanicals to deter flies. Once you have used Fly Predators on your farm, we urge you to steer clear of fly repellents with insecticides which may kill off the friendly fly predator population in addition to the biting insects.
How Many Fly Predators Do I Need?
The amount of fly predators that you need will depend on the number of animals (and consequently the number of flies) that live on your property. In most cases, a small farmette with one or two horses will require 5,000 fly predators for adequate fly control. Large scale horse barns and dairy barns will need a higher quantity of predators to combat the flies. Spalding Labs has a Fly Predator Calculator on their website that will help to determine exactly how many you will need in order to effectively control the fly population on your property.
Because flies reproduce as much as nine times faster than fly predators, it is recommended that you supplement the number of fly predators on your property with a new shipment every four to six weeks.
Are Fly Predators Expensive?
While fly predators require an initial investment, they are an economical form of pest control. They are also highly effective and help to lower the amount of biting insects on your property. Typically, a horse owner who owns one or two horses should expect to pay $22.95 every four to six weeks on fly predators. However, every situation is different and Spalding Labs will work with you to create a custom program for your animals and property.
Are Fly Predators Hard To Use?
Not at all. If you can open a bag of potato chips, you can use fly predators. Once you have received your shipment of fly predators, Spalding Labs recommends that you leave them in their package in a warm location for a few days until they hatch. Then, bring the package to the site that you have selected for your fly predator release (typically near manure or rotting organic matter), open the bag, and dump it out. It’s that easy!
What If I Don’t Have Horses, Will Fly Predators Still Help Me?
Absolutely. While fly predators are primarily marketed for equestrian and farm owner use, the truth is most people can benefit from their help. Protect your dogs, cats, chickens, and children from painful insect bites and potentially harmful diseases by utilizing fly predators in your backyard. Many people find that a few seasons of fly predators drastically reduces the fly population, which makes time spent outside grilling, swimming, and gardening immensely more enjoyable.
It is important to realize that there is no way to completely eliminate flies in your environment, however fly predators have been proven to drastically reduce the number of flies, especially when used as directed year after year.
Do fly predators sound like the missing link in your fly control program? Simply visit the Spalding Labs website using this link to have a shipment of fly predators shipped directly to your doorstep. For maximum biting insect fighting power and population elimination, we recommend committing to a custom built fly predator program as suggested by Spalding Labs.
When should I apply fly predators? I live in southwestern NH.
As soon as the weather warms up, it’s a great time to start using fly predators. Simply sprinkle fly predators near all manure areas every three to four weeks during warm months. There’s a handy fly predators calculator you can use on their website: https://spalding-labs.com/orders/place/step1.aspx?slclk=btn.whatyouneed,pos=wdgt.getfpschd,dst=schd.
Here is a note that helped me in my fly predator usage, I take a teaspoon out with me and spoon a little amount everywhere I feel like flies might be enjoying! Just dumping, I was wasting them and not getting them everywhere, I called and asked and they told me about using the teaspoon method! I also go around my whole pasture and make big piles of manure strategically, then daily I will scoop all nightly poop into its closest pile! WE HAVE MASSIVELY REDUCED OUR FLIES THRU THIS METHOD!