Filth Fly Management in Urban Environments - Urban Insect Pests: Sustainable Management Strategies - page 60

baits much easier. Additionally, new bait
devices that allow liquid and granular bait
applications make it easier to bait in areas
where locations for product placement are
limited.

homes, hospitals, animal handling busi-
nesses and others. If aerosols are used, the
room should be kept closed for several
minutes after mist release, so a full effect
can be achieved. Recommended treatment
times are found on the product labels to
allow maximum effect on the pest fl ies. It
may be necessary to aerate the room before
people are allowed to re-enter.

Space treatments / aerosols

Fogging can be used to knock down fl y
populations in enclosed areas. When using
fi ne mist sprays, care should be taken to
avoid contact with food, and food prepar-
ation and handling equipment. These
applications should be restricted to areas
that cannot be cleaned thoroughly on a
regular basis, such as under and behind
appliances or fi xtures. Aerosolized insecti-
cides used as knockdown sprays have a
short residual life, so these should be used
along with other prevention and control
measures in an integrated fl y management
programme.
When using space sprays or aerosols to
kill fl ies inside structures, product labels
should be followed strictly in relation to the
locations and at the times the products can
be used. Product labels have specifi c
restrictions on use in and around food-
preparation and food-serving areas, as well
as in many other types of facilities, such as

Conclusion

A large number of fi lth fl ies can cause
problems in urban environments, breeding
very rapidly in a variety of substrates (Table
4.1). Although fi lth fl y problems can be
easily avoided through sanitation measures
and simple, readily available control
methods, fl ies continue to be a major prob-
lem in urban areas, especially after disasters,
confl icts and other disturbances. Because
fi lth fl ies can vector many human diseases,
they are likely to plague human existence
for a long time. It is imperative that the
affected human population is educated on
simple facts about fl y breeding and develop-
ment, and implements corrective measures
in order to minimize the effects of growing
fl y populations.

Table 4.1. Characteristics and control of common pest fl ies (Koehler and Diclaro, 2010).

Control

Pests Description Breeding habits Life cycle Non-chemical Chemical

House fl y About 1/4 inch in length;

dull grey; thorax
marked longitudinally
with four dark stripes;
abdomen pale and
fourth wing vein is
angled

Warm organic material
such as animal and
poultry manure,
rubbish, decaying
vegetables and
fruits and in piles of
moist leaves and
lawn clippings

6-10 days Sanitation and

destruction of
breeding sites; tight-
fi tting rubbish
containers and
screens on windows
and doors

Larvicides;
residual
and space
sprays;
baits

Green bottle
fl y

About 1/2 inch in length
with shiny metallic
blue-green abdomen
and thorax

Dead animal
carcasses,
decomposing meat
and fi sh, rubbish,
and sometimes
animal excrement

9-21 days Sanitation and

destruction of
breeding sites; tight-
fi tting rubbish
containers and
screens on windows
and doors

Larvicides;
residual
and space
sprays

Bronze bottle
fl y

About 1/2 inch in length
with a shiny bronze
abdomen and thorax

Dead animal
carcasses,
decomposing meat
and fi sh, rubbish
and sometimes
animal excrement

9-10 days Sanitation and

destruction of
breeding sites; tight-
fi tting rubbish
containers

Larvicides;
residual
and space
sprays