Topic: Any entomology experts out there?

[Bonk]

I would like to determine a way to exterminate the Cluster Flies that have become a problem in the Maritime provinces.

They are not a native species - they were imported to fight the spruce budworm / army worm populations. Well, the spruce budworm is long gone. Now all we have is countless (and I mean countless) cluster flies.

When I go outside the air is filled with a sound much like the background of the exorcist - seriously. The fields and lawns here are alive with the beasts in spring. There are more than the birds could ever eat. The robins have arrived and are feasting on them in the fields, but that will not make the slightest dent in their population. They reproduce 2-3 time per summer then take refuge in human structures in the fall for the winter. I had a photo of thousands of them inside my bathroom window, I had to delete the photo I could not bear to look at it. The best recommendation to fight them indoors is a vacuum cleaner to suck them up, as their numbers are such that the use of pesticides indoors would be too much.

I would even go so far to suggest that cluster flies may be responsible for the dramatic decline in local bee populations. You see the cluster fly is a pollen eater. They live for 2-3 years and reproduce like mad, laying their eggs in worms. (which is why they were imported to fight the spruce budworm I suppose). I can easily see these beasts decimating bee populations by simply out competing them for pollen. Perhaps not so much decimating them but displacing them. I expect the bees have moved north.

Heh, knowing the cluster flies behaviour, I would not be surprised if they invade the wooden hives for shelter, discover the bee larvae and start laying eggs in them...

I want to know exactly who was responsible for importing these things and can they be held accountable.

Determining a way to exterminate these beasts completely will not be cheap. I'm going to need public funding or the profits of a lawsuit against the original importer.

I cannot describe how bad it is, the other morning I found one on my upper lip, it had not lit there. I feared it crawled out of my nasal passages. My fears were confirmed as I saw one fly out of my father's nose last time he stayed here when he left in the morning. I'm going to buy one of those bug net hats to sleep in the next time I can get to town.

I'm thinking the best way to attack them would be at their reproductive cycle, as most beasts greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. Chemical warfare is my first thought of course, but we've learned out lessons with that in the past (DDT). And since the birds do feast on these things if I use a chemical agent to exterminate them province wide it needs to be something that will not affect the birds. I need something that is cheap enough that we can blanket millions of square kilometers affecting only the cluster fly - no small feat, but nothing is impossible, nothing.

I bet I can get money for this from Agriculture Canada to research the effects of the cluster fly on bee populations, and to investigate possible avenues of extermination.

So... any fly reproduction experts out there?

[Bonk]

I have observed that the wasp populations seem unaffected. This may be because wasps are not big pollen consumers?

But it also leads me to believe that the solution for local agricultural bee-keepers is a hive redesign to make it unwelcoming/unsuitable for cluster flies yet still suitable for bees. Perhaps a metal or plastic hive construction.

As far as extermination of the flies, traditional pesticides that attack acetylcholine production are too broad spectrum and thus unacceptable for mass application over huge areas.

To attack the cluster flies' reproductive cycle would be the way to go I think. The question is how? Killing sperm production in the males might be simplest.

Actually I'm not even sure if these beasts are bi-gendered or not, so that approach may not work. What is unique about these suckers that can be exploited as a route of pesticide action?

I need to design some experiments, I certainly have no shortage of subjects.

I also notice that ladybug population increase with the cluster flies, as a predatory insect the ladybugs feast on the piles of dead cluster flies that accumulate. (I've heard stories about people having to literally shovel piles of dead flies out of their homes, shovel!)

I wonder what the cluster fly - ladybug interactions might tell me?

[Corbomite]

Wel I'm no entomology expert, but I would think if someone started introducing thousands of sterile flies into the population they would begin to die out. It might take a few years, but could work.

[Bonk]

Oooh... here's an idea. I might be able to use traditional pesticides with a well designed and baited trap.

The cluster fly is a large insect, but it has the somewhat unique ability to force its body through cracks as small as 0.5mm.

A trap baited with poisoned pollen (pyrethrins? chrysanthemates?) constructed such that the openings are large enough to admit cluster flies but not bees?  That is an experiment I could perform easily enough. The question is will the flies go for pollen not on the flower?

[Corbomite]

Oooh... here's an idea. I might be able to use traditional pesticides with a well designed and baited trap.

The cluster fly is a large insect, but it has the somewhat unique ability to force its body through cracks as small as 0.5mm.

A trap baited with poisoned pollen (pyrethrins? chrysanthemates?) constructed such that the openings are large enough to admit cluster flies but not bees?  That is an experiment I could perform easily enough. The question is will the flies go for pollen not on the flower?

Put a picture of a hot lady fly on the outside of the trap! 

[Bonk]

Wel I'm no entomology expert, but I would think if someone started introducing thousands of sterile flies into the population they would begin to die out. It might take a few years, but could work.

Billions Trillions perhaps. Not a bad idea as they do live 2-3 years and reproduce 2-3 times per year. Introducing enough duds could slow them down.

[Bonk]

Put a picture of a hot lady fly on the outside of the trap! 

Bingo! What if any pheromones are involved? Are they unique to the species? Interfering with or masking their action could go a long way, or at least make baited traps more effective.

I'd need some serious gear to figure that out. About $250K at least. (A quality purge and trap GC-MS system and a quality LC-MS, as well as the required glassware and solvents, reagents etc.)

Though if I could identify females I could crush their bodies into the poisoned pollen. A slow release mechanism of some kind for the pheromones would be in order, as I expect it would all blow away pretty quick if I just crush the females into the bait mix. A gelatin of some kind... or something like those solid air fresheners that slowly sublimate. A neutral one of those containing an extract of female cluster fly bodies...

[Just plain old Punisher]

Have you considered napalm?

[Bonk]

Have you considered napalm?

Yes, seriously... I can see it. Problem is, the little bastards are so tough it would probably kill everything else and leave them to party on. (actually they almost always have another crop of larvae on the go in earthworms below the surface that would survive a napalm strike)

A friend is going to lend me his sawmill this summer, If I can get enough lumber cut and dry by the fall to build a new shelter... this one is screaming out for the purifying flame.

[Just plain old Punisher]

Have you considered confusing the pests?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2Je1CEPkUM

[Bonk]

Can't view youtube here (dial-up).

Confusion with synthetic or extracted pheromones is possibly a great approach. Would take a little research though.

[manitoba1073]

or do it like they do with roaches. A pesticide that spreads when they come into contact with each other. The more they come into contact with each other the more it spreads.

[Beeblebrox]

I'm not sure where you're living so this may be a very dumb idea.  Have you considered increasing the bat population?  An extra couple of hundred flying mice might be a nice ecologically friendly answer.  You could also think about importing other avian species.  Perhaps more pigeons?

[Bonk]

Have you considered increasing the bat population?  An extra couple of hundred flying mice might be a nice ecologically friendly answer.  You could also think about importing other avian species.  Perhaps more pigeons?

I love bats. Problem is, bats are nocturnal and cluster flies are diurnal. Additionally, the seasons are off - the bats aren't here when the flies come out in the spring and are mostly gone by the time they swarm and cluster in the fall. Also, most bats tend to hunt in the air anyway, and these cluster flies spend almost all of their time on the ground or on the sunny walls of wooden structures.

More birds are logical, but interestingly bird populations have exploded here in recent years, I suspect partly in response to this overabundant food source. It's tricky hunting sometimes for them. The robins and starlings (an imported species themselves) tend to feast on them on the fields as the flies seek out worms to host their larvae, but later in the day when they cluster on walls the chickadees actually manage to hover and pick them off the walls, though obviously with great effort. We get a lot of humming birds in the summer, but they only eat small insects, the cluster flies are a little too large for them.

The other ideal predator (well not so ideal I guess) is also nocturnal: moths. We get some pretty large ones around here. I've actually mistaken them for bats more than once as their hunting behaviours are quite similar.

The one diurnal predator that is viable is ladybugs, and they cycle in population with the flies, but just don't seem to make a dent in them. Introducing additional ladybugs might help... but they exhibit many of the same annoying behaviours and they bite! (Cluster flies do not)

Then there's spiders. But again there's just way more flies than they could ever eat. And they do eat them in great quantities. It is amazing that spider eggs survive the winter here, but enough do that we still have an abundance of them.

or do it like they do with roaches. A pesticide that spreads when they come into contact with each other. The more they come into contact with each other the more it spreads.

That makes a lot of sense... as they get their name from the way they cluster in large groups.

I have even considered ways of turning them into a resource. Immense amounts of protein go to waste each year with these beasts. I've wondered if they might make good fish feed for aquaculture or perhaps dog food... If I could make a buck on these suckers I'd be rich!

[Grand Master of Shadows NCC37385]

You could try Sevin Dust or Delta Dust. Sevin isnt absorbed by the plants and it breaks down in the enviroment. Of course, it kills alot of other insects as well. IIRC, Sevin contains Carbaryl which kills insects by being absorbed and/or ingested.

Delta Dust contains Deltamethrin, a contact insecticide. On the plus side, it works in wet areas.

Cypermethrin sprays can be used, but leave a film.

[Bonk]

I'd definitely go with carbaryl over deltamethrin, as I've analysed for deltamethrin in many environmental matrices (soils, sludges, suspended seawater particulate, animal tissues, various crops,  human breast milk...) it turned up pretty often and does accumulate somewhat. There are less durable pyrethrins/chrysanthemates I would prefer. (a la good old Raid^tm)

I'm not familiar with carbaryl though. (probably because it does break down) I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Grand Master of Shadows NCC37385]

I'd definitely go with carbaryl over deltamethrin, as I've analysed for deltamethrin in many environmental matrices (soils, sludges, suspended seawater particulate, animal tissues, various crops,  human breast milk...) it turned up pretty often and does accumulate somewhat. There are less durable pyrethrins/chrysanthemates I would prefer. (a la good old Raid^tm)

I'm not familiar with carbaryl though. (probably because it does break down) I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestions.

Youre welcome. I use Sevin on my vegetable garden because it isnt absorbed by the plants and it kills everything from Japanese beetles and tomato hornworms to chiggers and lacewings. The only problem I have is that I dont dust after the plants bloom because it also kills bees.

[Nemesis]

but later in the day when they cluster on walls the chickadees actually manage to hover and pick them off the walls

Unfortunately that explains the flies clustering on my parents basement window early in the winter.  It did make them easy to kill though.  It took several days of killing as many of the cluster as possible but we did get them all.

Its not good that they are speading this far though.

[Bonk]

Unfortunately that explains the flies clustering on my parents basement window early in the winter.  It did make them easy to kill though.  It took several days of killing as many of the cluster as possible but we did get them all.

Its not good that they are speading this far though.

These things will be unstoppable in North America, it's pretty damn freaky, almost biblical. (especially when you've seen their bodies in piles inches deep - or heard the buzz of their mating cycles...)

Whoever imported them made a really, really, really bad mistake.

It snowed here yesterday, and that always puts a dent in their numbers (for the season) if they're already come out for their first mating cycle. It makes it easy for the robins to eat them as they are very slow when frozen. I saw hundreds of robins in the fields feasting away on my walk to the store yesterday. Go robins, go!

Actually the first fall I was here, before I knew what they were, I thought it was supernatural, a plague or curse or haunting of some kind. It is that bad. Since I have learned about them of course the superstition has faded, but the whole thing is still pretty darn creepy.

If they continue to expand south and west, they could pose a real threat to agriculture by displacing pollinating bees thus devastating crops.

[Nemesis]

Hopefully they will encounter a native predator capable of bringing them under control elsewhere on the continent and that it can spread into the areas (like yours) where the flies are a problem.  Ideally of course the predator would not turn out to be a problem in its own right.

Best of luck.