The time will soon be upon us. In fact, in some parts of the country, you better get going because the time is now. That’s right… it’s fly parasitoids time. Every spring — usually around the beginning to the middle of April (here in the Northeast) — we start prompting our customers to begin their filth-breeding fly control program. The kick-off is slightly delayed this year, but we’re aiming for the last week in April.
Specifically we plan to start shipping our parasitoids the week of April 30th, 2008 (so starting on-time means the deadline is Friday, April 25th), and will do so bi-weekly throughout the season terminating the program, barring freakishly warm late summer weather, the week of September 3rd. Of course, this is just one part of the program. You will also need to use fly traps as the need arises and practice sound manure management.
Fly Parasitoids?
If you’re new to the concept of using fly parasitoids — little parasitic wasps that lay their eggs in fly pupae — you should really consider giving it a try. We’ve been offering them for years and minus only a couple instances, our customers started using them, were delighted by the results, and never looked back. The feedback we get is almost entirely positive. They work, the price is reasonable, and people with animals don’t have to work pesticides into the equation. In other words it’s a safe and practical solution.
You can use them in animal kennels, for equine, cattle, dairy, swine, poultry, goats, and other critters. Apply them in stables, barns, feedlots, bedding, processing, pastures (along fence lines), zoos, dog- and horse-tracks, manure storage areas, compost operations both large and small, waste treatment, and more. Any indoor-outdoor open environment. The tiny nocturnal mini-wasps perform unseen, like little miracle workers.
But I Don’t See Any Flies
We understand. If we were you we’d probably wonder the same thing. We can’t stress enough, however, that to get the best results you need to start early, before you start seeing flies. You can wait on the trapping, but since the flies the parasitoids target reproduce at a rate roughly twice that of the parasitoids themselves, you can’t procrastinate on that essential part of the program.
Getting Started
The best way to order them, even though they are offered in our shop, is to call us at 603.942.8925 and place a standing order, meaning we will ship them on a pre-determined schedule, charging your credit card automatically on a per shipment basis. This seems to work best. You could place your order online, but you’d really have to place individual orders, using the order comments on our checkout form to specify the shipping week. Else, if you placed a single order for ten units, for example, we’d have to call you for your card number to cover the added shipping unless you wanted us to ship them in one shot (no, they cannot be stored).
To those who use them already, think of this as a reminder. To those new to the use of fly parasitoids, think of this is an invitation to try them. Old or new, we hope to hear from you soon.
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