Fly control

[kenny thomas]

Getting a few gourds ready for Tree Swallow nests. A pair of swallows can catch up to 8,000 flies a day while they are feeding their young chicks. Hope this helps with fly control. The gourds were free.

 

[coachg]

Let us know if it helps !

 

[kenny thomas]

Let us know if it helps !

Im not sure how i can judge if they help but im guessing if they catch 8000 a day surely i can tell a difference.

 

[wbvs58]

I think dung beetles made a difference here this summer.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

Im not sure how i can judge if they help but im guessing if they catch 8000 a day surely i can tell a difference.

It does help, and not only Martins, but Barn Swallows also help. But they won't eat as many flies though.

 

[Travlr]

View attachment 55645
Getting a few gourds ready for Tree Swallow nests. A pair of swallows can catch up to 8,000 flies a day while they are feeding their young chicks. Hope this helps with fly control. The gourds were free.

I need to find me some gourds...

 

[Brute 23]

That doesn't look like near enough housing. It seems like if you put up a couple houses way more show up and invade your barns and porches and things. They can make a real mess.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

That doesn't look like near enough housing. It seems like if you put up a couple houses way more show up and invade your barns and porches and things. They can make a real mess.

Yep they always show up here in more number than available housing and make nests under the porch, on outdoor lights, under the eves of every building. Then you end up with mountains of poop on everything, and it can and will eat the paint off equipment and vehicles.

 

[kenny thomas]

Yep they always show up here in more number than available housing and make nests under the porch, on outdoor lights, under the eves of every building. Then you end up with mountains of poop on everything, and it can and will eat the paint off equipment and vehicles.

The tree swallows are slightly different than the barn swallows that make the big mess. We have had a pair nest on our porch for 5 or more years with no mess.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Just depends how polite your birds are. I've also heard people say their barn swallows don't make messes either.

I have both barn and tree swallows here in the summer and they all make horrible messes. I walk around a couple times a week with a pole and knock their nests down.

 

[Logan52]

I do not know how effective they are in controlling flies, but it would sure be lonesome out bush-hogging in the summer without them around.

 

[M.Magis]

I suspect the claim of them eating 8000 flies/day is similar to the claim of possums eating thousands of ticks/day. Entirely made up. Certain years I've had dozens of swallows and martins here through summer, and I sure didn't notice a difference in flies. I do like hearing the martins. The swallows just **** on everything.

 

[Lucky_P]

Enjoy the martins & tree swallows for what they do. Don't count on them having any impact, whatsoever, on horn fly populations. They are not going to light on cattle and pick them off, and the flies - since they feed 20-30 times a day - and mostly only leave the cow to lay eggs in fresh manure pats. They're not flying around up in the air where they'd be prey to martins/swallows.

 

[kenny thomas]

Enjoy the martins & tree swallows for what they do. Don't count on them having any impact, whatsoever, on horn fly populations. They are not going to light on cattle and pick them off, and the flies - since they feed 20-30 times a day - and mostly only leave the cow to lay eggs in fresh manure pats. They're not flying around up in the air where they'd be prey to martins/swallows.

You may be correct and you usually are but here is why i wanted to try it.

 

[Travlr]

You may be correct and you usually are but here is why i wanted to try it. View attachment 55827

And you can put the gourds out where the crap doesn't accumulate. Lots better than pesticides.

 

[kenny thomas]

And you can put the gourds out where the crap doesn't accumulate. Lots better than pesticides.

Thats my plan. Plus they work every day whether im there or not.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

And you can put the gourds out where the crap doesn't accumulate. Lots better than pesticides.

Where do they nest and crap when 100x more show up than there's gourd space for?

Your front porch that's where. Ha

 

[redcowsrule33]

I've watched bald faced hornets following the cows around and picking off flies. They are welcome here as long as they don't set up shop close to a door.

 

[MACVSOG]

Just depends how polite your birds are. I've also heard people say their barn swallows don't make messes either.

I have both barn and tree swallows here in the summer and they all make horrible messes. I walk around a couple times a week with a pole and knock their nests down.

i find this hard to "swallow". (just joking) i do not believe i have encountered swallows in the places that i frequent. would be great if had some to help with flies, mosquitoes, etc.

 

[chaded]

We never really dealt with the swallow living on our porch but the Eastern Phoebe (another flycatcher) would come and make nests every year on our wrap around porch fans every year. After I redid the deck and replaced the fans I wasn't dealing with that anymore so the fans run pretty much 24/7 and that keeps them off the porch.

The barn swallows are a welcome sight and you can't tell me swallows don't put at least a dent in the fly population. All they seem to do is fly around eating and feeding their young. Start up a lawn mower or start brush hogging and they are there.