Perth has been warned to expect flies in plague proportions this summer – and entomologist Ian Dardour, of UWA, is attributing the increase in bush flies to the lack of dung beetles!
The weather has always played a part in the activities of pests (see here what’s it has done to termites in Brisbane and funnel web spiders in NSW) and it’s the case here in Perth as well. The late rains across the state have kept pastures greener for longer this year, resulting in cattle providing ample manure for the flies to breed in. The dung beetle acts as a natural pest controller by destroying the manure and providing less breeding ground for the flies – ergo less flies. But there have been less dung beetles active this year meaning the flies have had less competition and greater amounts of manure to breed in! It’s the perfect storm of the fly world.
Where there are humans, there are flies…
Bush flies are attracted to large animals, including humans, because of the protein in our sweat, tears and saliva. That’s why they’re constantly buzzing around being an annoyance. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about that apart from wearing insect repellent. There are a few things you can do around your home that will make it less attractive to the plague of flies currently tormenting Perth.
Tips to minimise flies in your home
Organise a fly treatment for your home – it is a residual treatment that is effective for 6-8 weeks and is applied to doors, windows and darkened corners where flies like to land
- Make sure your fly screens are hole free and applied to all your doors and windows
- Ensure your home has good ventilation – flies don’t like that. And if you have an annoying fly buzzing around, turn on the fan!
- Ensure you quickly clean up any food spills and dirty plates
- Use a rubbish bin that has a nice firm lid on it
If you’d like to book in a fly treatment for your home, call my helpful Perth colleagues on 1300 805 087. We have an online special running at the moment for 20% off general pest treatments, including flies! Book it in now and quote “online special”.
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