Fly Predator Programs

[Scout]

Am curious to hear what experience folks have had with fly management programs that rely on fly predators. I've read about them for many years and been curious -- for 1-5 horses, one vendor's product is about $20/month.

My horses live in a run-in shed and big paddock so am wondering if this approach might be useful in that setting and am interested in others' experience.

Thanks.

[FrancaV]

Hi there, Scout,

Well, nobody's answered this yet ... I don't own my own ranch so I don't have firsthand experience, but I do kind of have secondhand experience. I've boarded a couple of places that use them and the population is definitely lower than at places without fly predators, as far as I can tell.

The better system you have for managing your manure, the better the fly predators will work - seems they work great as long as the little buggers can get to the manure - they have a limited flight range - so a central manure pile (or several) is preferable to a huge pasture that gets harrowed, for example. If I had my own place I'd make a point of setting it up so I could use them for sure. Fly predators, plus those hanging fly trap bags (set up in areas well away from the fly predators) to take up the slack would be about the best you could do for fly control, I think!

You have to get them going early before fly season is too heavily underway for best results. I'd say try them for a year or two and see how it goes. Try to follow instructions as best you can given your horses' living situation. Yours sounds like a setting that would work to me! If you do try them, please let us know how it goes.

[Excess]

Scout I am not sure how much good it will do in your situation unless your horses consistantly poop in one area. It works great with keeping population down in manure piles and barn settings. We used them last year and they worked very well but there were still flies. My horse even though he's a gelding poops in one spot - also known as stud pile - and we'd spread them in his manure piles. If you use them consistantly and as instructed they work wonderfully. If you have areas where your horses consistantly poop then yes. Other than that I would say they're not really worth it. If you have a run-in maybe just spreading them in that run-in will help reduce the population but not eliminate them completely.

[RockinCircleC]

Alternative methods for fly control:
http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com/thegreenhorse/07_2006.html#article2

[fionagirl]

We added fly predators to our other management efforts about three years ago and it's made a huge difference for us.

[Scout]

Thanks for the responses -- very helpful!