Subject: Re: Request re: Barn Flies
From: [email-masked] (Brian N. Craig)
Date: 16 Aug 1994 12:08:45 -0400
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Beth Holtzman) writes:
>Does anybody have information regarding biological contro of flies in dairy
>barns. In particular, we're interested in control using a parasitic wasp
>(work done at Cornell?). How does one get some of these critters?
>
>PLEASE SEND INFO TO:
>
>[email-masked]
>
>Thanks.
>
>Fred Magdoff
>tel:802-656-0472
>fax:802-656-4656
>
>

I have carried out the release of parasitic wasps for fly control in 
dairy and hog operations for the past 2 years.  There is a wealth of 
information in the scientific journals  on the use of biological controls 
of houseflies and stable flies.

If you wish information on what species of parasitic wasps to select, 
please provide me with the following information.

	1.   The number of cows on the farm.
	2.   The number of calves on the farm.
	3.   The length of the fly season.
	4.   Is the farm isolated from other livestock farms?
	5.   The size of the buildings that house the livestock.
	6.   Are the animals fed in loose feed lots or stanchion barns.
	7.   Please provide a discription of the sanitation of the operation:
		a)  How often is the manure moved?
		b)  Are the barns and calf pens cleaned daily?
		c)  If silage is fed, indicate how it is stored and handled.

This may seem like a lot of information but to have a successful program 
it requires a good understanding why and where the fly problem is on each 
farm.  

I usually release the parasitic wasps early in the fly season before fly 
numbers become high.  I also provide a monitoring service for each farm 
which provides information on how often the parasitic wasps need to be 
released and when to stop the program.

The use of biologicals such as parasitic wasps requires a tailored IPM 
program for the farm.  The program will need to be ajusted depending on 
each farm.

When I receive your reply I will reply as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

=======================================================================
|          Brian N. Craig            |          Agricultrue           |  
|    [email-masked]        |   Pest Management Consultant   |      
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         VOICE: (902) 368-5637      |         P.O. Box 1083          |
|           FAX: (902) 368-5661      |    Cornwall, P.E.I., Canada    |
|                                    |            C0A 1H0             |
-=======================================================================