Horse Owners Can Manage Flies with Wasps Instead of Pesticides

Newsdate: Fri 16 October 2015 – 08:40am
Location: ANNAPOLIS, Maryland

A new article published by the Entomological Society of America offers horse owners advice on how to manage stable flies and house flies, including how to use parasitoid wasps as an alternative to pesticides.

Another way to protect horses from pesky flies

Another way to protect horses from pesky flies

Horse owners are looking for effective fly control, but they're also looking for sustainable ways that avoid excessive insecticide use.
© 2015 by Carien Schippers

Horses need help when it comes to insect pests like flies. But, unfortunately, horse owners are in the dark about how best to manage flies because research just hasn't been done, according to a new overview of equine fly management in the latest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, an open-access journal that is written for farmers, ranchers, and extension professionals.

One fly-management method that is gaining ground is the use of wasps that are parasitoids of fly pupae. The female wasp inserts an eggs into the fly puparium, and when the egg hatches, the wasp larva eats the fly pupa.

The authors conducted research on two wasp species that are sold commercially to see what type of manure they preferred.

"In the lab, we found that the Muscidifurax species we tested preferred bovine manure, and the Spalangia species preferred equine manure, so there seems to be some sort of differentiation there, which could impact control on a farm," said Erika Machtinger, one of the authors.

Because of this preference, according to the authors, the ability to identify fly species is important so the correct wasp parasitoid can be used. The authors also provide other advice regarding when the wasps should be released, how often they should be released, and how many should be released.

"This is a really good article, and very useful in pointing out some directions, and things that need to be addressed," said University of Kentucky extension entomologist Lee Townsend, who was not involved with the study. "The importance is high because people are looking for effective fly control. But they're also looking for sustainable ways to do that, particularly those that avoid excessive insecticide use."

About the Author

Flossie Sellers

Author picture

As an animal lover since childhood, Flossie was delighted when Mark, the CEO and developer of EquiMed asked her to join his team of contributors.

She enrolled in My Horse University at Michigan State and completed a number of courses in everything related to horse health, nutrition, diseases and conditions, medications, hoof and dental care, barn safety, and first aid.

Staying up-to-date on the latest developments in horse care and equine health is now a habit, and she enjoys sharing a wealth of information with horse owners everywhere.

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