NOW IS TIME TO COMBAT THE FLY MENACE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 4, 6 October 1948, Page 4

NOW IS TIME TO COMBAT THE FLY MENACE

Warmer Weather Helps Breeding During the past few months the residents of Whakatahe and surrounding areas have enjoyed a period of comparative freedom from flies in their homev business premises, and food shops. This period is now drawing to a close, and with the advent of warmer weather the few flies that have over-wintered as larvae or pupa in organic, matter or beneath the soil, and thosb adult flies which have survived the winter in warm places, will emerge to breed and increase with the greatest rapidity. A single female fly can lay about 120 eggs at one time and in a matter of hours these eggs hatch into larvae (maggots), which are fully developed in four or five days. Each larvae then becomes a pupa and in a further five days the adult fly appears for a season of activity covering several weeks. Thus, within a shirt period of less than a fortnight a fly can develop from egg to' adult and one fly can readily produce millions of descendants in a single rea - son. The facts that the climatic conditions in this area afe suitable for hy breeding and the season is a particularly long one, may explain in. part why the fly population is usually greater than in many other parts of the Dominion. As flies are known to be, under particular conditions,_ responsible for the spread of dysentry, diarrhoea and other diseases of the alimentary tract, it is perhaps significant that of the total number of notified cases-of dysenv try in the Dominion during last year, more than four-fifths occurred in the East Coast Health District.

This summer we will again be pestered with > flies, which may spread disease and death unless something is done about it. As part of a Sanitary Drive aimed at reduc- - ing the incidence, of bacillary dysentry, the District Health Office has promoted a 1 Fly Extermination Campaign. This is being sponsored ;by all Local Authorities in the particular areas under their control, and is being actively supported by many voluntary organisations in each district. In any district where flies are prevalent the residents are apt to become apathetic and accept the fly" as a necessary evil. Actually it is possible to make a substantial reduction of the fly population in any area, provided everyone does his part in his own home and yard. All that is necessary to bring the fly under control in all areas, is a little extra effort on the part of the individual. The technique to be adopted for control measures is really very simple:— Since it is easier to prevent fifes.breeding than to exterminate adult flies, efforts must be directed against breeding places. A regular search should be carried out of all premises for fly breeding places, attention should be given to compost, heaps, or heaps of lawn grass clippings, refuse and any organic, matter, and food scraps should not be left about, but should be wrapped with paper and placed into a metal receptacle with a tight fitting lid. The contents of this receptacle should be disposed ,of at regular and frequent intervals and the receptacle cleansed. Second, flies must not be provided with favourable feeding places. Premises should be maintained in a ‘ scrupulously clean condition. Thdse flies that escape our attention should be prevented from doing harm. All places where food is. handled should be flyproofed. Milk and other foods set out on tables should be protected with fly-proof covers. Eating and drinking utensils (including plates, glasses, cups, knives, forks and spoons), after being cleansed should be kept under similar cover. Premises should be well ventilated' and made unattractive to flies by keeping a moving current of air by means of electric fans. J • • , Flies should be destroyed by all possible means; by the use of a's per cent solution of D.D.T.; suitable “knock down” •sprays; and other insecticides.