Any fly can be an unwelcome addition in the home, on farms, or in animal housing, but biting flies add considerably more problems. Not only can their bites be painful to humans and animals, which can seriously affect farm production, but because they feed on blood, they can transfer a nasty catalogue of diseases.
Indeed, leaving a large population unchecked close to livestock or poultry is simply asking for trouble. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to address the problem - which we'll gladly do below with a few of our favourite products.
Best for Economy & Ecology — RED TOP FLY TRAP
Trying to keep costs down? You can't go wrong with the Redtop Fly Trap, which works out at just 1p per 100 flies.
Specifications
The Redtop Fly Trap bait requires just 1 litre of water and should hang away from your protected area. Its effects last for at least 12 weeks and sometimes longer, depending on various conditions - such as heat and how many flies have already been trapped. A single bag can contain 20,000 flies! The bait should ideally be hung 2 - 2.4 metres above the ground in direct sunlight. Because the pheromone in the bait reacts to direct UV light, this fly trap works best in sunny or hot conditions.
Pros
- Extremely economical
- Safe and biodegradable, making it one of the more ecological approaches to fly control
- Easy to use. Fill up the bait, hang, and you're good to go!
Cons
- May be a slow process
- Not appropriate for large-scale problems
Who's This Product For?
The Redtop Fly Trap is perfect for those with small to medium-scale fly problems who are willing to take a slower approach to eradication.
Best for Mobility — DIGRAIN INSECT KILLER SPRAY 600ML
The Digrain Insect Killer Spray does exactly what it suggests in one giant professional-use bundle.
Specifications
Gone are the days of carrying around two sprays - one for crawling insects and the other for flying. This spray delivers a powerful combination of Tetramethrin and Permethrin that will clear a room in no time. When directed, it shoots out a spray roughly 5.5 metres, meaning you can keep a healthy distance while still hitting the mark.
Pros
- Negates the need for two types of sprays
- Extremely fast acting
- Easy to use and target specific or hard-to-reach areas
Cons
- Sprays can have limited use and may not always target the root cause
Who's This Product For?
This product is for professional use only and can be used against a wide variety of insects, including wasps and hornets. Like any spray of its size, its use will be limited and will not be effective if you have a large-scale fly problem.
Best for Large-Scale Use — TWENTY ONE - FLY CONTROL - WETTABLE POWDER CONCENTRATE - 1KG
When you need to go big, the Twenty One Fly Killer is where you should turn. Fast-acting, supremely powerful, and long-lasting, this is the fly control that ticks virtually every box.
Specifications
The Twenty One Fly killer contains Azamethiphos, the fastest chemical currently available on the market, and is ideal for large-scale agricultural use, such as livestock housing. It can be sprayed or painted on - with effects lasting up to 12 weeks! Twenty One is also the only product available that kills through both ingestion and contact, and the results are nearly immediate. A small tip: add a splash of cola to the concentrate, as this increases the product's efficacy and helps attract flies.
Pros
- Excellent for large-scale use
- In terms of speed, there's nothing like it
- Hugely versatile and can be sprayed or painted onto problem areas
Cons
- Potentially overkill for more minor problems
- It takes time to apply
Who's This Product For?
Twenty One is perfect for anybody who needs to address a significant fly problem. For farmers, it's ideal as they can easily apply it to any livestock housing.
Best for Strong Targeted Use — SHEILA - READY TO USE GRANULAR FLY BAIT - 2KG
Sheila is a granular fly bait that works in much the same way as the powerful Twenty One we just covered. It's straightforward to use while also delivering a mighty knockout punch.
Specifications
Like the Twenty One Fly Killer, Sheila contains Azamethiphos, which offers immediate and effective results. Interestingly, it includes cheese and honey, along with the Z9 sexual pheromones, which flies find virtually impossible to ignore.
How do you use it? Scatter the granules lightly onto a board and spray with flat cola to increase the efficacy. We recommend leaving a 2-3 cm untreated margin around the board, and waiting for a 10 minutes drying period before hanging it up. Sheila's combination of irresistible attractants and deadly Azamethiphos means that you'll see flies beginning to drop in no time.
Pros
- Irresistible attractants lure flies immediately
- A powerful product that can take on any problem
- Easy to apply and can be used in a variety of locations
Cons
- Not suitable for home use
Who's This Product For?
Sheila is similar to Twenty One in many ways, and both are perfect for farmers or anybody that needs to deliver a crushing blow to a large number of flies. This is an ideal product for animal housing.
Best for Space Treatment — VULCAN P RFU FLY SPRAY
The Vulcan Fly Spray is an odourless kerosene spray that can be used with an atomiser or compression sprayer to deliver a fast-acting blow to any fly population.
Specifications
Vulcan P RFU contains permethrin, the knockdown agent tetramethrin, and its kerosene base. It also includes butoxide (PBO), which enhances the effects of the other chemical and helps overcome the inevitable tolerance that flies eventually gain against certain types of fly killers.
Pros
- Easy to apply to problem areas and works better than traditional aerosols
- The inclusion of butoxide means that any would-be tolerance build-up nips in the bud immediately
- Used for either surface or space treatment
- Helps overcome fly tolerances
Cons
- Not the best spray on this list for large-scale use
- Requires plenty of personal protective equipment
- Highly toxic to aquatic organisms
Who's This Product For?
The Vulcan spray can be used professionally and even around the home - if the user takes the appropriate safety precautions. (Use PPE with Vulcan!) It delivers a fast, highly targeted response to a fly problem but should be kept clear of other animals for their safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Repels Biting Flies?
Apart from the kind of chemicals mentioned here, several natural remedies repel biting flies, such as vanilla extract, pine, or lavender oil. Likewise, herbs such as anise, basil, cedarwood, coriander, lemongrass, and mint can be effective against flies.
Looking for the Best Fly Control Products for Biting Flies? Shop Dalton Engineering!
Biting flies come with even more problems than your run-of-the-mill fly and can bring severe diseases, causing a decrease in production across almost any kind of farm. While no one likes flies, a world without them - full of the rotting matter they feed on - doesn't sound ideal, either. Indeed, a balance is needed when caring for your farm, animals, and livelihood.
However, biting flies are an ongoing problem with dire effects - if not taken seriously. That's where we come in! Dalton Engineering offers a variety of fly control solutions to fight back against biting flies. Whether you're looking for something powerful to use at home or need to go big to cover your whole farm, let Dalton be your first call. Addressed in the right way, we'll help you eradicate annoying and problematic biting flies. Don't let the mountain get too big to climb: preventative and effective help is on the way.