Back J. P. T. Kapongo and J. H. Giliomee
University of Stellenbosch, Entomology and Nematology, Private Bag X I, Matieland, 7602. South Africa
Abstract
House flies are arthropods that breed in the manure, and increases in poultry
houses and dairies. They irritate the animals and people on these premises
and are potential vectors of a number of serious diseases. The Stable Fly
sucks blood of cows and horses, with the result that animals do not feed
properly and loose weight. For many years, farmers have relied solely on
chemical treatments (such as organochlorine, organophosphate, carbaurate
and pyrethroid insecticides) to control fly populations, but flies have
rapidly developed resistance mechanisms against most of these chemicals
and even to the insect growth regulator 'cyromazine' which is recently
added to poultry feed. The use of chemicals can be detrimental to human
and animal health and pollutes the environment, therefore biological control
is recommended.
Good biological control was achieved with a combination of EM/EM5 and wasp parasitoids (Muscidifurax raptor and Spalangia endius). One month before fly season begins, commence spraying EM stock/EM5 6% (6 % EM + 6% molasses + 88% water) at rate 1 litre for 10.65 m2 and three days later release four parasitoids per hen in the form of parasitised fly pupae at weekly intervals.