BRONDAL – Farmers in the Heidel Valley are looking forward to the possibility of enjoying a Christmas braai this year. With no sign of a large-scale fly breeding in the area, and very little sign of flies, residents are hopeful of a fly-free Christmas – very different from the situation a year ago at this time. But, warns fly expert Dr Copper Ludick, “we are not out of the woods yet”.
Ludick has ostensibly become the fly inspector for the region after being commissioned by the Ehlanzeni District Municipality to assist with the fly plague that besieged this farming community in the summer of 2012. The persistent rain since late last month (November) and in the first weeks of December are a cause of concern, not only for Ludick, but also for local farmers. One explained that they expected an escalation in fly numbers as soon as it dried out, adding “where there is 40% to 70% moisture content, flies can’t breed out”. This farmer is expecting an explosion of flies in early January.
Ludick warns that with the advent of the litchi season, flies will also be attracted by the fruit.
Fly numbers declined near winter time, supported by the committee reports issued during that time. After this relatively “fly-quiet” winter, conditions reached untenable proportions in early November, prompting the local committee that had been charged to investigate the matter to threaten with legal action against possible culprits if the situation did not improve. This did result in an improvement since, but it is still not clear who had done what to bring this about.
When Ludick crossed Heidel Eggs and the Heidel Spitz fertiliser factory off the list of possible culprits earlier in the year, the committee started searching for a third possible source of flies. Investigations have not yielded any results, and neither the committee nor Lowvelder has been allowed to visit the Heidel Eggs facilities this year.
The only report on conditions here had been from Ludick.The cause of the sudden decline in numbers since middle November is not known. According to Mr Leander Robberste of Heidel Eggs, they had not changed any of their operations and were still employing the same procedures and using the same chemicals as before.
Reports had come in of large amounts of wet chicken litter at their facility on the Brondal Road, which he said would be treated according to the expert’s specifications. According to his response, wet litter will not be removed from underneath the chicken houses. Ludick’s latest report also exonerates the fertiliser plant, where chemical larvae control, adult control and mechanical traps are being used to manage fly numbers.
Whether residents will, this time around, be able to enjoy a merry Christmas braai remains to be seen. “Hopefully we can enjoy a traditional braai without fighting off thousands of flies!” said resident Mr Justin Behrendt, who, in preparation for the festive season, has attempted to fly-proof his cottage with poison and fly traps.
To follow the fly saga in the Heidel Valley, visit Looklocal.co.za and lowvelder.co.za for all the articles since 2012.
Fly control measures for Heidel Valley residents: Programme for the management of adults flies:
• QuickBayt (Bayer) can be applied to walls of any structure including homes. It must be applied correctly and residents must follow instructions. Use 65g per 1 litre water. This should give adequate control for a month.
• Agita (Norvatis) kan be applied to cardboard strips treated with water or milk beforehand and spread around the house to attract and kill adult flies. Hang under eaves and other places where flies sleep at night.
• Hang Flyzone fly traps more than 30m away from the home – you want to lure flies away from your home and not to it.
Tips for residential homes
• Remove rubbish daily, in and around the house.
• Keep grass and lawns short.
• Apply QuicBayt from a height of two metres upwards on walls, to avoid contact by pets and children.
