Congratulations on developing your Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program! Now it’s time to put it into practice. By optimizing each of the four components of your IPM—biological, cultural, mechanical, and chemical control—you’ll set yourself up for maximum fly control. Here’s how to make the most of your IPM program across common use sites.
1. Biological Control: Fly Predators 
Biological control uses beneficial organisms to manage pest populations, and Fly Predators are your secret weapon. These tiny, non-stinging insects target and eliminate fly pupae before they hatch, breaking the fly life cycle at its source.
How to Use Fly Predators Effectively:
- Spalding Labs customizes the ideal quantity of Fly Predators for your unique needs. Simply sprinkle them in areas where flies reproduce, such as fresh manure or other rotting organic matter.
- For pastures where manure remains damp, spread Fly Predators in a grid pattern, releasing a small portion every 75 feet.
- In barns, leave 5-10% of the Fly Predators in their bag and hang it in a breezeway. Even if you notice more flies in the barn, keep in mind they likely originated in other areas.
- Watch this video for step-by-step instructions on using Fly Predators on your farm.
By releasing Fly Predators early in the season, before flies become a problem, you’ll prevent the majority of flies from ever emerging.
Watch this video to learn how to use Fly Predators on your farm:
2. Cultural Control: Disrupt Fly Breeding Sites
Cultural control focuses on reducing the living conditions that support fly populations. Good manure management and waste reduction are key to disrupting fly breeding cycles.
Tips for Effective Cultural Control:
- Manure Management: Haul away manure regularly, or use a screen drag in pastures to break it up and promote drying. Dry manure is less hospitable to flies.
- Bedding Materials: Choose bedding that dries quickly or discourages fly production.
- Drying Agents: Use drying agents in damp areas around stalls or paddocks.
- Target Hot Spots: Focus on manure piles, pastures, muck tubs, trash barrels, brush piles, and anywhere damp organic matter collects.
Cultural control should be implemented throughout your property, ensuring no area becomes a breeding ground for flies.
3. Mechanical Control: Physical Removal
Mechanical control involves physically removing or deterring flies. While this won’t eliminate flies completely, it’s a great way to manage adult populations around key areas like barns and stables.
Common Mechanical Control Methods:
- Fly Traps: Place traps in areas where adult flies congregate, like barn doors or near feeding areas.
- Fans: Install barn fans to keep air moving and deter flies from settling.
- Vacuum Systems: Use specialized vacuums for direct removal of flies in enclosed areas.
Mechanical control methods are quick, effective, and easy to integrate into your daily routine.
4. Chemical Control: Targeted Use
Chemical control can supplement your IPM program, helping to manage adult flies that slip through other measures. Targeted, responsible use of pesticides and repellents is key.
Spalding Labs’ Natural Solutions:
- Bye Bye Insect Fly Spray: An all-natural, organic fly repellent made with essential oils such as geraniol, rosemary, citronella, peppermint, and lemongrass. These ingredients are not only effective but also meet EPA’s 25(b) Minimum Risk requirements.
- Premise Sprays and Baits: Use these in key areas like barn perimeters or near manure piles for additional control.
By focusing on environmentally-friendly solutions like Bye Bye Insect, you’ll manage fly populations while protecting your animals, the environment, and yourself from harsh chemicals.
Maximize Your Fly Control with Integrated Pest Management
The key to a successful IPM program is implementing each component consistently and strategically. Don’t wait for flies to become a problem—start now by optimizing each control method and targeting common use sites. Proactive measures taken today will ensure your operation is one step ahead of the flies when the season starts.
Ready to get started? Order Fly Predators and Bye Bye Insect today, and make this your most effective fly season yet!
