Identify your Pests > Flies

CLUSTER FLY (Pollenia rudis)
HOUSE FLY (Musca domestica)
LESSER HOUSE FLY (Fannia canicularis)
BLOWFLIES Bluebottle (Calliphora species Greenbottle (Lucila species)

Fly control is an important aspect of everyday life for all of us, never more so for many commercial and industrial businesses, as it is a requirement of law. A high number of detrimental diseases are carried by flies and environmental health agencies are quick to enforce the terms of the Food Safety Act 1955 and 1976 for people and businesses selling or dealing with food in unhygienic conditions. When a fly lands on food the following occurs: Unable to eat solid food, flies soften it by vomiting over it. The vomit is stamped upon until liquid, usually introducing germs for good measure. Having achieved sufficient viscosity they suck the resultant mix back again. With the inevitable mix of excrement introduced at the same time, the resulting residue is left for you to ingest with your food.

CLUSTER FLY (Pollenia rudis)
The Cluster fly appears in spring and autumn, and will over time multiply into epidemic proportions. It lays its eggs outside in damp locations, such as under leaves and in soil, with the larvae/ maggot stage locating into earthworms in which they overwinter, eating their way through the worm as they develop into adults. In adverse weather conditions such as frosts followed by sunny days, they burst out of the earthworm as adults and head into buildings (often tall buildings with a sunny aspect) to cluster and soak up the warmth of the sun. They can often be found under felt in attics and around heating and ventilation pipes where they continue their breeding cycle. It is at this point the flies head towards the light and are exposed in bedrooms or upper floor offices /warehouses. The dead, dying and diapausal flies are found in high numbers, causing distress, or gaining entry into manufacturing or packing processes.

HOUSE FLY (Musca domestica)
Less complicated but no less disturbing is the breeding cycle of the house fly, which only require the smallest amount of moisture to start the life cycle. The laval food of the Housefly must be moist, decaying vegetable matter, found on rubbish tips and food residues in kitchens. Manure heaps are favoured locations for the fly to lay its eggs in batches of 120-150, which can hatch in between 8hrs - 3 days dependent on conditions. The adult lives for 4-12 weeks and begins to lay eggs after 2 days from emerging from the larvae/maggot stage.

LESSER HOUSE FLY (Fannia canicularis)
These are the annoying flies found indoors flying in irregular patterns beneath the lights and in the centre of rooms and kitchens.

Eggs are laid in batches of up to 50 and have the ability to float in liquid and semi-liquid decaying organic matter, especially poultry, cow and dog faeces. The eggs hatch after only 2 days and take approx. 1-4 weeks to develop into adults, repeating the live cycle again.

BLOWFLIES
Bluebottle (Calliphora species)
Greenbottle (Lucila species)


The large noisy flies, bright shiny in colour that lay their eggs in massive batches of up to 200 eggs on meat, dead animals and cheese. Amazingly, they can hatch in ZERO to eighteen hours dependant on the age of the eggs when laid. At times the Blowfly would appear to lay live larvae, which are able to hatch simultaneously with being laid, scary to watch!!

The identification of the specific fly is an important factor in controlling the problem, as all flies have different habits, life cycles, and originate from different sources. Control in almost all instances is achieved by locating and treating the breeding sites where the larvae exist, combined with a surface treatment of alighting surfaces. The installation of ultraviolet fly killer units to control the adults may also be necessary. Extreme or commercial situations will require proofing measures such as the installation of fly screens and doors. In many instances this may be a requirement of the Environmental Health Office in compliance with The Food Safety Act.

One of the exceptions to the above is the Cluster fly, where treatment of the larvae is not possible as they spend this stage of their life cycle inside an earth worm.

Cluster flies (Pollenia rudis) present many businesses and households with the intolerable problem of hundreds, if not thousands, of seemingly dead (diapusal) flies within bedrooms, attics, offices and manufacturing premises. Although, numerous others flies, including the Lesser housefly (Fannia canicularis), Blowfly (blue and green bottles) Calliphora and Lucilia species create a nuisance factor, albeit not as detrimental to man as the Housefly (Musca domestica).>

The Vector ® Plasma ™ is proven to increase your insect catch for faster results.

The latest generation of Insect Light traps,
The Vector® Plasma ™ is the brightest trap in the family.
Designed for low tolerance food service environments, the unit features a thin, sleek design-just 64mm wide that can be installed vertically, horizontally or in corners

Cobra

Unique Technology in Cobra provides a faster catch than other fly traps of its kind Consistently outperformed other competitor units Translucent cover emits UV at 180o angle The dispersed UV output increases fly attraction Discreet fly control with large catch area