who uses Fly Preditors, and where is the best place to buy them? Also, I have been told to always buy more than the recommended amount for your numbers of horses - as, if you have ten horses, buy the amount recommended for twenty horses. Thoughts and opinions appreciated!
I used Fly Predators this past year. They made a HUGE difference in the fly population. I put the majority of them by the compost piles and spread some where the horses congregate. They really aren’t that expensive and having extra wouldn’t hurt. I’m definitely using them from now on. I just ordered mine from Smartpak for convenience.
On a side note, Smartpak has a product called Smart bugoff. It didn’t do anything to keep the flies off. But despite how horrible the ticks were last year I didn’t pull a single tick off my horses.
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I use fly predators as well. I buy the recommended amount and they work great. My farm is fairly isolated, so no cows or other horses nearby, so I think that helps. If you are surrounded by other farms that are not using predators or other fly control you may have more trouble. I get mine from Spalding.
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CHICKENS!
Okay not actual fly predators, which I have used with success, but chickens help keep the flies down and give you eggs! Never had ticks with the chickens either.
Go Chickens!
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interesting about the chickens…UF says not to keep them around horses down here as they attract the kinds of mosquitoes that carry the bad diseases…
We have used Spalding labs for ours, they are one of the few that produce them and sell to other sellers:
https://www.spalding-labs.com/products/fly_control_products/fly_traps/default.aspx
They work well for us.
we have used fly predators for a long time now and in addition to that we have chickens and guineas- have not had any problems
Another vote for fly predators - I’ve ordered mine the past 2 years from March Biological (http://marchbiological.com/). They are a small company with fantastic customer service (I had scheduled a shipment for a certain date and ended up getting an email 1-2 days before they were supposed to ship, letting me know that they had checked the weather in my area and were concerned that they temperatures were too low and the bugs wouldn’t survive. They continued to track my weather and let me know when they thought was a better time to send. No effort on my part and was impressed with their attention to detail.)
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Thanks Everyone!! I’m ordering!!
I use Fly Predators as well. They are easy to use, I place in my pastures usually where the manure ends up. The company calls me every year, I can tailor my order to my season and past experience. They ship to the door for the season. I do like to front-end load at the beginning of the season as it stops the flies from hatching. I figure its cheaper and healthier than fly spray. For the mature flies if I do end up with a bad year or flies from neighbors I use the disposable fly bags. Between killing the larvae and the adults all is left are the mosquitoes… Good luck
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I have a fly predators question … is now the right time to get started with them? I’m not too far from St. Louis to give you an idea of geography. I just went to Spalding’s website and they want to send the first shipment immediately. That feels too soon to me, as I don’t really see flies out now, but I’m thinking they probably know what they are doing and maybe it is the right time. ??? Thoughts?
I’m in Atlanta and saw my first fly about a week ago. I live in a suburban area and don’t have any other large animals around me. Haven’t seen one since and will probably order fly predators this week. Love the idea!
I’m originally from St. Louis and even though I’ve been gone a long time, I still miss it!
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I’m in Mass and my first order is supposed to start next month. This will be my first year using them, and since my horses just came home in September, and I was immediately inundated with flies, I’m hoping this works! April sounds right to me, and IIRC, they wanted to stop my order in September, and I alerted them to our very warm fall last year and I thought I would need them through October, so we’ll see how it goes.
Anyone have any tips for sprinkling them around?
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I’m jealous of you guys! I tried Fly Predators for three years and didn’t see a difference. I think the problem is that I have a 9-acre farm in the middle of four other, mostly larger horse farms. So even if I stop flies from hatching at home, they just fly on over from the neighbors. I gave up!
Soon… I really want to try them, but I have a 2500-3000 head dairy farm to my north, probably about a mile away, and a 200 head farm 4 acres away. add to that the 200 head farm spreads their manure on the 50 acres next to us… I’m wondering if the fly predator are a waste of money? I have used the gallon stinky traps ( 8 of them) and they fill up on a weekly basis. they are reusable, but gross. i’m just worried that the fly predators would be overwhelmed? And therefore ineffective…
Have you called Spalding and visited with them?
They can tell you more.
We got our first shipment today, saw our first flies yesterday.
We have used those predators for several years now and the one year we thought they were not doing enough and we didn’t order any?
We learned right away they were working just fine, have been back at it since.
We put half by the barn, half by the yard and we hardly see a fly and horses are not stomping and switching any more and we have hundreds of cattle right against the fence from the horses.
Cattle get their own fly control products also, your neighbors may do that also?
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I had face flies pretty bad, and am considering it. My neighbors have a horse and like seven cows, so I think if I just up my order accordingly, it might be ok?
I’m at a very large facility, head count has been above 50 frequently, barn has 28 stalls, and the poop pile is enormous and given away to a couple of guys who make compost. The flies used be pretty bad but BO started using Spalding’s predators years ago. We don’t have many flies these days. She puts them out along the edge of the poop pile and the large turnouts where the outside horses live. The vet sent an email out recommending them last year. It’s amazing what a few packages of these little tiny bugs can accomplish.
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I tried them for two years but they didn’t do much. I am in the SE and I think it is too damp and hot around here for them to be as effective as in drier areas of the country. I also have a large problem with gnats and mosquitoes and the predators don’t control these. The only other farms with animals are a half mile down the road and wooded land separates us so I don’t think I am getting their flies. I finally broke down and got a fly system which is not as ecologically correct but takes care of the problem. Also bought a tractor and manure spreader so stall cleanings are hauled all the way across the pasture and spread to dry out.
Dangit, now I’m conflicted…
