Recent warmer weather highlights blowfly season is around the corner
Lucilia sericata, the main blowfly in the UK, starts to become active when soil temperatures reach 9°C.
NADIS, in collaboration with Elanco, have once again launched the blowfly risk alert (see https://alerts.nadis.org.uk/) and blowfly tracker (www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk/tracker) to help farmers and prescribers keep up-to-date and stay aware of the blowfly challenge throughout the season. Elanco encourages farmers and prescribers to report a case of strike on the blowfly tracker to help others be aware of the risk in their local area and across the country.
“From the Met Office temperature chart for February, we can see that large parts of the country have been hitting 8-10°C already, especially in the south. If the mild conditions are maintained through March, then southern counties will be in for an early blowfly challenge. Correct application of an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) product BEFORE strike happens, is still the ‘gold standard’ in blowfly prevention,” says Elanco’s Technical Consultant, Matt Colston.
For information on using an Insect Growth Regulator
see https://farmanimalhealth.co.uk/fly-control To find out more about correct application see www.farmanimalhealth.co.uk/application.