Application Tips

Nothing could be easier. Just sprinkle Fly Predators out of their sealed see-through shipping pouch near manure and other pest fly breeding areas. In a few minutes you’ve done your fly control for the month. Fly Predators ship in the immature stage, inside a pupa (cocoon) which looks like a black rice kernel. A few days after arrival they’ll begin to emerge and that’s when you release them. Fly Predators will not fly to, crawl on or otherwise bother you or your animals.

While Fly Predators stop pest flies from reproducing, they do not affect existing adult flies. So you can't expect a fly free environment immediately following the first release if you start after flies are already present. Adult pest flies must either live out their short 21 day life span or be removed by supplemental methods of fly control compatible with Fly Predators. These include traps, sticky paper, or bait stations. Complete instructions as well as a handy guide to controlling flies and other pesky flying insects found around animals are included with your first shipment and also available here.

Recommended Coverage

Over the past decades we've found that these quantities of Fly Predators every three to four weeks provide excellent control for most equine situations.

Horses	Fly Predators Per Month	Cost Delivered
1-5	5,000	$18.45
6-10	10,000	$28.50
11-15	15,000	$38.45
16-20	20,000	$47.50
21-25	25,000	$53.50
26 to 49	$2.00/head/mo. + $3.50 shipping
50 to 99	$1.93/head/mo. + $6.50 shipping
100 to 125	$1.76/head/mo. + $6.50 shipping
Above 126 head call for quote

However, the number of Fly Predators needed varies not only with the number of animals, but also with the size and condition of the property, the weather, the severity of the existing fly problem and the number of neighboring animals within a ¼ mile radius if those locations have poor fly control. A pest fly can easily go ¼ mile, sometimes much further. The best solution is to have everyone with animals within this distance use Fly Predators. In that case, no one will be bothered by flies. We have many neighborhood groups who order enough Fly Predators for all of their properties together. We will gladly pack each neighbor's Fly Predators in separate pouches of at least 5,000 each at no extra cost. In the case of the grumpy neighbor that won't participate, buying a few extra Fly Predators for their animals often costs remarkably little more.

“Fly Predators really worked on my place.” Tim McQuay on Smart and Shiney Tioga, TX

Start Regular Releases Early

Keep in mind that it is much easier to prevent a buildup of pest flies than it is to get rid of them. The optimum time to start is when the daytime highs get into the 60ºFs. This is always before the flies are a problem. By starting prior to the first fly hatch there will be relatively few viable fly pupae that survived the winter so the ratio of Fly Predators to fly pupae is high. This allows the Fly Predators to reduce the initial fly breeding population to a very low level which can mean fewer flies all summer. Then continue with Fly Predator shipments every three to four weeks stopping a month before the temperature drops down into the low 60's.

If you start after the pest flies have built up to high levels, an initial shipment of two to three times the normal Fly Predator quantity will be needed to get control of the pest fly population as quickly as possible.

“This is my third year using Fly Predators with 4-5 horses and as of July 20th I have only seen two (count them two) flies!” Chris W. with Joy to the World Pascoag, RI

Helping Your Fly Predator Program

From the standpoint of fly control, the goal of good manure management is to minimize the available suitable breeding area. Flies need a moist medium to successfully reproduce, so spreading manure thinly to dry quickly helps. If it can't be dried, putting it on a composting pile raises the temperature of all but the outer few inches too high for fly larva. For the same reason, if you've had much more rain than normal, then additional Fly Predators may be required for a few shipments.

Our recommended quantities assume a reasonable job of manure management. If it's poor then more Fly Predators will be needed, but control is usually possible. For animals that are ranging over many acres or for severe fly problem situations, additional quantities likely will be needed. Please call our Question Line, 1-888-880-1579, if you have any unusual requirements.