# fly predators



## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

Just planning ahead for next summer and was wondering if anyone has tried fly predators? I saw them in my dover catalog and they are like miliature flies that kill your everyday barn fly? And if so do they work? I have a farm where we have cattle also so the flies are REALLY bad in the summer. Two days ago I was outside repairing the fence and they were everywhere. Trying to fly into my ears...trying to go into my mouth...nose etc. . . If anyone has tried them please let me know ur results! Thanks for taking the time to read this!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I used them for the first time this year and loved them. The fly population is _way_ down on my acreage this year.

I went with the original Spalding Labs fly predators. I don't know who Dover recommends but Spalding was the first, so I wanted to go with the original.

Spalding also doesn't charge you for your shipments until they're ready to go out, so you don't have one big major hit on your credit/debit card.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Been using them for three full summers now. Love them. Totally cuts down on the amount of flies.

I too use Spalding Labs. I believe we just got our last shipment for this year.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> I believe we just got our last shipment for this year.


Yep, I just got my last shipment for the year, too. I'm definitely going to sign up again before December 31st for next year.


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

Awesome! I thought they would be a good idea and possibly help the poor cattle out too....I don't know how cattle don't end up freaking the heck out with how bad they are lol thought it would be a good investment so I don't lose it myself some people say you are not a true horse person till the flies don't bother you...... I think that's kinda dumb necause I'm. Just easily irritable with flies. Especially when u end up eating a few. Icky.thanks


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

What do they usually run if I may ask? Cause I would probably go with who you guys go through since it worked for ya so well don't want to take any chances.....


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Depends on how many animals you have. I have 3 horses and a dog, so they based mine on that. I was getting 5,000 predators once a month, at a cost of $18.45 each time.

The more animals you have the more predators you'll need, but they're really very inexpensive considering what they do.

Oh, and they're not flies, they're tiny, stingless wasps. They don't bother people or animals at all.


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## Jake and Dai (Aug 15, 2008)

I used them last year but completely forgot them this year and I notice a huge difference! I definitely plan to get them again for next year.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I think with all the money I saved on fly spray using them all these years they really cost me nothing. 


Raisin, I think that the cows will bump your quantity required up very quickly. Go to the Spalding web site and fill in the question thingy and it will tell you exactly what they recommend for you and I believe how much it will cost.


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

The cowa are not mine so I'm thinking about talking to the man that owns them and see if he will pay for some of it. Cause the reason the flies are so bad is mainly because of the cattle. I will have to talk to him cause there are like 30 head of cattle and 5 horses. This summer I was going through about 5 bottles of fly spray a week. Spendy.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

It'll be cheaper to get the fly predators. I used very little fly spray this year, and the horses didn't have to wear their fly masks except early on in the season.


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

That's so amazing! Waas going to spring and buy fly gear for them this year (end of season sales) but I'm going to go google the website and see how much it'll run me for next year. Its amazing what they come up with. I'm pretty sure I'm gunna do it because fly sheets are wxpencive and the fly spray I get at bomgaars is like 20 bucks a bottle! Ugh! Thank you everyone for the info and everything... this forum has replaced my addiction of facebook and I love the people here  thanks again!


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

Almost 900 bucks a year with what cattle I have on my property right now... but some will be going to the sale barn this winter. And I counted my not so wild turkeys and pet quail (not mine...boyfriends dad's pets...was going to hunt them but he got attatched ****) I'll have to do a recount before next season and price will hopefully go down


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Glad you made this thread, OP. It reminded me to go to Spalding's site and put my 2012 order in. :wink:


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Raisin, that is the problem a friend had when she went to use them. She had cows in the mix too and it made the quantity required go through the roof.


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

Glad I could help Speed Racer  
And AlwaysBehind... I guess I just found out that the 30 head of cattle is really 60  ugh can you tell that I don't do the work with them? Lol I stick with my horses the bf does that most of the time...Personally I don't like cattle  
I don't even want to quote what that will cost. Going to talk to the cattle owner about it. Maybe I'll get lucky and he will foot the bill but I doubt it cause cattle farmers usually don't give a rats patoot about the flies bothering the cattle. Might have to pick up a side job lol


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

you will have to use enough to take into account the cattle or it wont help much, I use a multi pronged attack,
I feed textured feed to my horse, and have a doxzen or so free range chickens, the chickens scatter the manure looking for the seeds that pass through, so no manure breeding grounds,
I set out 5-10000 spalding lab fly predators,
I use the proper fly traps, the add water and smelly fly traps dont work. They lure in house and garbage flys but not the flys that bite. You need the biting fly trap traps, look at spalding labs websight on traps they tell you about the different kinds.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I have used them 2 years in a row and really thought they should work better. My horses were still covered in flys on using them. I think my population was down a good 50% but still not good enough in my opinion.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

JOe, you do not find the chickens eat your predators as much as they eat the bad flies?


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## zurmdahl (Feb 25, 2009)

My old BO used fly predators and the flies were still terrible :/ I wouldn't be surprised if she got less than she needed though and that's why they didn't work.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

There are lots of variables that affect how well they work, really.

Not getting enough of them is one of them.

If people are still spraying fly spray products all over the place that can kill off some of the predator population. If there are chickens around pecking at bugs that will kill off some of the predator population, etc.


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## tcb5040 (Jun 15, 2010)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yep, I was very careful with any bug killer this year. I'd only spray the horses in their stalls, and used very little of any type of killer except inside the house.


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## BigGreyHorse (Sep 28, 2009)

This was our first year using Spalding's fly predators. I have to say I was very surprised with the results. We only used a fraction of the fly traps, and sticks that we were using. It cut the fly spray expense for the horses from 5 bottles down to 2. 

I think finding the correct application is the key to success. I realized after they sent the double shipment in July, that I probably should have been using larger shipments all along or at least doubling up in June, July & August. Going to look at that when I sign up for next year.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

We've used them a couple years in a row and even our neighbors behind us noticed a difference. They didn't kill every fly, but definitely made a huge dent in the fly population.


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## raisinandelana (Sep 11, 2011)

Awesome  makes me excited to get them for next year. Probably going to be moving to the other farm away from the cattle. I wish there was no flies in existance  I bet all of ya feel the same 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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