Outdoor fly traps

[Tommy_T]

I have read on the NADIS website that “Inexpensive fly traps have been shown to reduce strike incidence by 80% in a season”.
Has anyone used fly traps outside, and if so what sort? I’m guessing not the sticky tape stuff hanging from trees!!
I’ve just ordered up a bottle of Clik. Getting so paranoid about flies as all of a sudden there seems to be swarms of them, collecting on poop etc. I’ve been killing what I can, but if traps reduce incidences by that much it’s worth a go. Appreciate I am a much smaller scale and those doing big farming probably wouldn’t have time...

 

[delilah]

you need some red top fly traps, can get them in packs of 10 from interhatch.

 

[Princess Pooper]

yeah, red top are good, 'big yellow fly bucket' are similar but larger and you can buy refills as they are sturdier than red tops.Remember to top the level up and don't worry when they don't work at first, takes a few days for the mix to warm up and start pulling them in. http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/zero-in-ultimate-big-fly-bucket

 

[Tommy_T]

Thank you. Got one on order and hoping they make a difference!

 

[Goatherderess]

Last year we had a plague of horseflies and the goats were going berserk. I ordered this and it's very satisfying to empty out the container full of drowned horseflies. It seems to be working this year as there are plenty in there - it is sited right by a pond so hopefully gets them as they fly away from hatching + no chemicals which is a bonus. https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/vo...zDlH0oSwLIReEJhw4wegbmgChSutN_5RoCsY8QAvD_BwE

 

[Green farmer]

Was thinking the same today. Pity someone wouldn’t develop a artificial version enzyme the maggots excrete, to attract the flies in the area to lay their eggs on some type of fabric where the eggs wouldn’t hatch from. I just see once a ewe is struck, every bluebottle from miles around tend to lay their eggs on her as well.

 

[neilo]

Was thinking the same today. Pity someone wouldn’t develop a artificial version enzyme the maggots excrete, to attract the flies in the area to lay their eggs on some type of fabric where the eggs wouldn’t hatch from. I just see once a ewe is struck, every bluebottle from miles around tend to lay their eggs on her as well.

I have just the thing. I could sell you a dead yow with a dose of Clik on it, which would do all you need. I’d even sell her to you for less than the price of a bottle of Clik, how’s that for a bargain?

Best be quick though, as knackerman will have her away tomorrow.

 

[hendrebc]

I read something about this last year sometime. It was in America and they were making their own fly traps out of 45 gallon drums so they caught a hell of a lot of flies. It didn't make much difference to start with but later on in the season it made quite a difference to the number of flies in late summer and autumn. But they had to do it every year and keep at it because flies breed so fast if you stopped you'd be back to square one very quickly.
I don't know how scientific it all was though. But might be worth a try it certainly won't do any harm.

 

[Pasture mad]

We do this at home with a 200l drum. Cut the top off and a hole in the side to place an inverted sieve in (around half way up). Make a hole in the sieve large enough for a fly to get through. Put something in to attract the flies and a some water to drown the maggots in when they hatch. Place a clear plastic sheet on top and hold in place with small ratchet strap or bungie rope. It will need more bait through the season and cleaning out at the end ready for next year. We have 10 around the farm!
On a different note has anyone used "Barrier D" sheep dip?

 

[neilo]

On a different note has anyone used "Barrier D" sheep dip?

I know a couple of people that used it a few years ago, all smallholder types with small pedigree flocks, who used it because all chemicals are nasty. They told me it was fantastic stuff, as long as you applied it every 2 weeks! You could certainly smell the sheep from a good distance.

I decided it was better to do the job properly.

 

[hendrebc]

There are garlic buckets you can get for cattle to keep flies away I wonder if that would help sheep?

 

[Pasture mad]

Selling March born lambs flat out at the moment which have no fly protection, and just wondering if it would work on them through the sheep jetter as Barrier D has no withhold restrictions. If we were in NZ could just use vetrazin with a 3 day with hold!!
The last time I used Crovect that failed after 2 1/2 weeks and spent an un-happy May bank holiday weekend with maggoty lambs.