Houseflies are some of the most annoying pests to roam the Earth. Flies lay eggs in human and animal waste, sometimes thousands at a time, and these hatch into larvae which shortly develop into the flying insects that are so common throughout Australia. In our blog post ‘Understanding the Australian Fly’ we looked at the life cycle and food consumption of common Australian flies. Here, we discuss who the fly’s natural predators are.
Most fly predators won’t actually attack adult flies. Some of fly predators will attack the eggs, by laying their own eggs inside them, and thus preventing the emergence of the larvae. Other parasitic predators will attack larvae after they have hatched, burrowing into the flesh of the maggots and eating them for a snack. Other predators simply live in the same environment as pupae and will happily eat them for a meal.
One common predator, a Parasitoid: is a miniature wasp species who lay their eggs on top of the fly eggs. These merge with the fly eggs and the wasp larvae consumes the fly larvae. The wasp progeny will emerge from the fly’s egg having digested its meal as an adult wasp sized about the same as a fly’s head.
Spiders are one backyard friend that will happily spin webs and catch flies for a tidy meal. St Andrews Cross are one particular species of spider that spin webs amongst trees and other backyard landmarks. They catch bothersome flies and moths so keep them around.
The Australian fly’s natural predators, while essentially lethal to flies in all stages of development, from egg to larvae to pupae and adult form, are harmless to humans and our pets. As fly populations tend to grow exponentially, it’s always good to have a few predators around.
Vectothor are the experts when it comes to fly control solutions. Our UV technology is extremely effective at killing flies without the use of toxic chemicals.
Check out the Vectothor range of flying insect killer light traps on our Products page for more information about modern fly control solutions. Get in contact with us by calling with any questions about our solutions. We’re available between 9:00-5:30PM Monday to Friday AEST and our friendly team will happily answer your questions when you do.
