| Show controlling THE DANGEROUS STABLE FLY 4 4 7 V V an fn A U Y adult demale female of the stable fly prepared by the united states department of 0 agriculture the stable fly Is 18 regarded by the department ot of agriculture as a menace note not only to domestic animals but to human buman beings and this is the season of the year when means for exterminating and controlling the pest peat should bo be adopted in this connection tho the department recommends among other things the hodge fly trap fl a simple easily constructed contrivance as ono of the most effective measures in destroying the fly the flies frequently attack mankind and during severn outbreaks men engaged in field work aro are often annoyed by them in the southern part of the united states the stable fly Is a source of great danger to live stock and to tho the welfare of the community practically throughout the year in the northwest the fly seldom becomes sufficiently numerous to cause annoyance except during the latter part of the summer cummer and early fall the most serious damage caused by tho the fly how over Is in the grain belt practically all wa warm rm blooded animals tiro are attacked by flies while mules in general seem to be more annoyed than any other anim animals als horses and cattle are severely attacked while sheep cheep and goats are prey for the fly which attacks them on all parts of the body not protected by the wool particularly the legs and hogs are subject to annoyance by the pest especially ally when they aro in pasture trapping the flies files tho hodge fly trap Is designed so BO as to catch flies both as an they attempt to enter and leave windows it consists essentially of a light wooden at 1 I hodge fly trap showing where the fly enters enter framework made to fit closely in a window on the floor of this framework la Is a bait pan containing any kind of food material attractive to the flies potto the inner and outer sides bides of the frame are covered with screen wire arranged in such ouch a way as to provide three rows of openings leading to the interior one opening to Is a space one half inch wide beti between veen the floor of the trap and the lower screen wire there Is ono one such space apace on each side running entirely across the window these openings admit flies directly into the space space containing the bait this to la covered by a roof of sore screen ea wire along the ridge of which holes large enough for flies to pass are punched at two inch intervals higher up the sides are two rows of openings formed by be bending the screen wire inward and upward to form two horizontal folds running across the window A series of small holes are also punched along the inner edge of each of these folds thus there are three j rows of openings on each bide aide of the trap one at the bottom leading directly to the bait and from there through the holes in the ridge to tho the interior of the trap the two above this are openings through folds of wire mire which lead directly to this the interior of the trap these openings higher up on the sides provide a way of entrance ent ranco to the trap even it the flies caught are so BO numerous as 99 to stop up the openings in the ae ridge covering the bait protection of live stock from the fly A mixture of fish oil one gallon oil of pino tar two ounces oil of pennyroyal two ounces and kerosene ene one halt pint has been found to be very effective in keeping the flies off live stock when applied lightly but thoroughly to the portions portion of animals not covered with blankets or neta work animals may bo be largely protect ed from the pest by means of coverings one type found very effective and inexpensive during an outbreak of tho pest la in texas consisted of a blanket made of double thickness of burlap so arranged as completely to cover the back sides and neck of the animal the legs are then covered by means of old trousers slipped on over the feet and tied over the back leather nets neta or strips ot oi leather leaher at cached to the brie aid in keeping the flies from the hedd the ordinary fly net has proven of little value as it only tends to displace the alige tern tem por arlly artly the thorough screening of all windows and doors of stables has been found successful and desirable when barns are screened care should be taken to brush tho the flies files from the animals I 1 when they are about to enter by means of nets over the doorway or with sacks little can be done to protect range stock from the flies on hog bog farms a freshly plowed trench ot of fers considerable protection to swine the sides of the trenches may be smeared with petroleum which is rubbed off on the animals and acts as a repellant destruction of immature stages and prevention of breeding sinco since straw stacks have been found to be the principal breeding places of tho stable fly la in tho grain belt the proper caro care of the straw is by far the most important step in control the straw should be stacked more carefully than la Is ordinarily done when it la is desired to keep it for protection and food tor for live stock this may be accomplished by making the sides eldea of the stack nearly vertical and rounding it up UD on too in order the better to shed the rain so far as Is possible all straw which la is not required for winter food for block bioc k should be alis disposed posed of ly by burning or by it over the land soon after thrashing and subsequently plowing it under or by burning the stack the plowing under of the straw is the most advisable method of procedure as by this practise large amounts of humus are ara added to the soil eoll oat straw la Is moist moat generally used for feeding purposes a aad hd it Is this straw which forms the principal breeding grounds for flies it Is therefore important that all the oat straw needed for seed purposes or bedding be baled and stored under cover and that the remainder be promptly burned or scattered all straw stacks not consumed by stock during the winter should bo be promptly d disposed of in the early spring as these stacks furnish flies files continuously i during the spring and su summer |
