Flies

There are many species of flies in New Zealand. Most pose a threat to hygiene and are a nuisance to humans and animals. Flies are vectors of a large number of diseases including gastroenteritis, dysentery, typhoid, polio, salmonella and tuberculosis.

Some, such as sandflies, are a direct irritant, biting humans and sometimes causing painful reactions.

The true flies are insects of the order Diptera (meaning: two winged) and include common pests like houseflies Musca domestica, lesser house flies Fannia canicularis, blowflies Calliphora spp, cluster flies e.g. Pollenia rudis, clothes moths Tineola bisselliea and T. pellionella, midges and crane flies Tipula paludosa, fruit flies Drosophila spp. and other pest species that enter our homes and workplaces.

Numerous bristles on the flies' legs pick up and distribute germ laden particles wherever they go from rotten animal waste to your sandwich.

In warmer climates, breeding continues throughout the year. Eggs are laid in moist decaying vegetable matter and animal waste.

Midges and Lake Flies are a pest associated with lakes and ponds where they breed. They can form very large clouds of annoying adults which can cause a considerable nuisance for motorists and home owners.

More information on flies.......

Fly proofing - How to control flies

1. Flies inside – It is best to keep flies from entering but this is often not possible even with mesh screens on windows and doors. Aerosol fly sprays can knock down flies in a room but only work for a short time and people or pets in the room will be inhaling insecticide as well. Kiwicare produce a NO Insects AutoCan refill containing 100% natural pyrethrins for use in automatic dispensers.
2. Surface treatment using NO Flies, NO Flies Safe or NO Bugs Super will give long term control of flies by killing them when they land on the treated surfaces. Spray the surfaces that you see the flies land on; these are often the edges of doorways and window frames, light fittings, ceilings, tops of walls and wall corners.
3. Flies outside – It is more difficult to deal with flies outside as it may not be possible to treat areas not within your control. However, there are ways to minimise the nuisance. Search for possible breeding sites of flies. Remove or treat any decaying animal or vegetable matter that might provide food for maggots (fly larvae). Check and clear drains. Spray exterior walls, window frames, door frames, pergolas and other fly alighting surfaces using NO Bugs Super or NO Flies.
4. A bait can be made up using NO Flies and sugar. Place the bait well away from the house or outdoor living space so that flies are attracted away from you.

For control of Cluster Flies see here. For control of Fruit Flies see here.

NO INSECTS AUTOCAN REFILL

New products - Standard and Commercial Strength

More convenient products from Kiwicare.

NO Insects AutoCan is formulated with synthetic ingredients to enhance the effectiveness of natural pyrethrins. NO Insects AutoCan refill is for use in Raid RoboCan, RoboCan, Ultrapel, and Pestrol automatic aerosol dispensers. It is effective against most flying and some crawling insects. Propellant: Hydrocarbon.  Does not contain CFC’s.

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NO BUGS SUPER CONCENTRATE and NO BUGS SUPER TRIGGER SPRAY

NO Bugs Super is an excellent broad spectrum insecticide giving long term control of most crawling and flying insects.

NO FLIES SPRAY OR BAIT CONCENTRATE

This versatile product is a must over the summer to attract flies away from the food area and to control flies indoors and around outdoor living space.

NO Flies can be mixed with sugar to create a bait to attract and kill flies or diluted with water to use as a long life spray on hard surfaces where flies congregate.

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NO FLIES TRIGGER SPRAY

Convenient trigger spray, ready to use without mixing.  Spray hard surfaces where flies congregate – window ledges, light fittings, warm walls, ceilings and sunny outdoor areas.

After landing on the sprayed surface flies will die. No Flies remains effective up to 4 months after the surface has been sprayed.

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NO FLIES SAFE CONCENTRATE

Dilute with water to make a long term surface spray that provides effective control against flies and most other flying insects for up to 4 months.  Once applied to surfaces, as directed, it is safe to touch and poses no danger to children and pets.

Incorporated in No Flies Safe is a fly attractant to encourage flies to land on the sprayed area plus a quick knockdown component.

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NO FLIES SAFE TRIGGER

No mixing or dilution as this is a ready to use product.  Handy trigger pack for use in the same way as the diluted form of No Flies Safe Concentrate.

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More Information about Flies

The flying insects encountered in urban and industrial premises can be of many types, but it is generally accepted that those which are regarded as pests are those which spread disease through contamination, cause physical damage and general nuisance.

The insects most associated with the spread of disease in domestic, commercial and industrial premises are the true flies. There are many thousands of species of fly, however, relatively few interact with humans. Those that do are among the most destructive of pest species, spreading disease to man and domesticated animals, as well as contaminating food.

Adult flies fly; it is this that makes their status as pests so important, allowing them mobility to visit many diverse habitats. By nature, many flies breed and feed in areas of unsanitary conditions, with larvae feeding on decaying organic matter. The adult female uses complex sensory systems to choose suitable areas of rotting vegetation and decaying animal matter in which to lay her eggs and for the larval stages to develop into pupae. The adults emerge from the pupae in these unhygienic sites and, as they do, they become contaminated with disease causing organisms. They may fly to sensitive food preparation, processing and consumption areas, seeking feeding sites for themselves as adults.

The likelihood of contamination of human food with pathogens has been demonstrated over the years by a number of experiments. In these, disease-causing agents have been found to survive on outside body surfaces of flies. They also exist in the fly gut and blood system.

Flies are fluid feeders and, although they feed on solids, they need to liquidise the food before they can suck it up. They do this by producing large quantities of saliva from their salivary glands. This is then poured onto the food via the salivary canal of the mouth parts. The flies also frequently vomit some fore gut contents onto the food while feeding. In addition, during the feeding process, flies frequently defecate. This in turn can spread pathogens from the hind gut of the fly onto food and food preparation areas.

If the food on which the flies have been feeding and defecating is prepared for human consumption, human disease and suffering is frequently the result. Food poisoning outbreaks can occur from a minute dose of pathogens and it is common that flying insects spread disease.

House Flies

Two groups of flies are grouped under the term house fly (or housefly) these are of the Musca and Fannia genus. Fannia are lesser house flies and are a little smaller that Musca house flies. Lesser house flies are often the type that are seen flying in angular patterns around the centre of a room. They can keep flying all day and will only land at night. This makes them a little more difficult to control using surface treatment alone.

Blow Flies

Blue bottle and green bottle flies have shinny metallic looking bodies and are larger than houseflies and are associated with rotten meat where their eggs are laid and the larvae (maggots) feed before pupating and emerging as adult flies. An infestation of blow flies suggests a dead animal carcase in the vicinity e.g. a dead rat in the roof space. Check for possible sources and carry out treatment as suggested above.

Fruit Flies

Because of the particular habits of fruit flies they are dealt with in a separate page. See here.

Cluster Flies

Because of the particular habits of cluster flies they are dealt with in a separate page. See here.

Generalised Life cycle

The complete metamorphosis cycle can be as short as 7 - 9 days in ideal conditions.

• Eggs to Maggots 8 - 24 hours
• Maggots to pupa 4 - 5 days
• Pupa to Adult fly 2 - 7 days

Classroom Clips

• Adult flies normally live 1 - 3 months.
• Flies are great travellers, up to 32km recorded.
• Flies can over-winter in larval, pupal and adult stages.
• Flies are active by day, resting up by night.
• Maggots are cannibalistic and destroy large numbers of each other.
• Eggs and maggots, if swallowed, can cause intestinal injuries.
• Flies are a very important part of the food chain.
• Predators include wasps, spiders, birds, bats, frogs, fish and lizards.
• Prior to feeding, flies often vomit on to their food matter and trample it to dissolve tissue to a liquid before sucking up the resultant juices.
• Flies do not have lungs but breathe through spiracles, small holes on either side of the body.
• Flies are very quickly attracted to perspiring human skin.
• Musca domestica is not native to New Zealand.
• Under perfect conditions eggs become maggots within 8 hours.