Flies are one of the biggest battles livestock owners face every summer - and most of us are fighting them wrong. This week Lori sits down with Jessica Starcevich, entomologist and fly control expert at Spalding Labs, to break down what's actually living on your animals, why your fly bags might be making things worse, and how to build a smarter, more natural approach to fly control.

From horn flies and face flies to house flies and biting stable flies - they're not all the same, they don't all breed in the same place, and they don't all respond to the same treatment. If you've been spraying permethrin all summer and still losing the battle, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

Not all flies are the same species - identifying where they are on the animal tells you everything.

Fly bags placed near barns can actually attract more flies than they catch.

Rotating your spray active ingredients reduces resistance.

Dung beetles are your best free tool - don't kill them with the wrong wormer.

Fly Predators target house and stable flies in confined areas and can achieve up to 75–90% control.

Episode Highlights

Jessica explains the four main fly species affecting pastured cattle and how to tell them apart.

Lori gets the wake-up call about her fly bags and how she was using them wrong.

The conversation covers IPM — integrated pest management — and how to build a whole-farm fly program without spending more than you need to.

Plus: what fly predators actually are, how they work, and why you should call Spalding Labs before ordering if you have over 50 animals or multiple species.

Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome & intro to fly control

01:35 — Jessica's background & Spalding Labs' 50 years in business

02:39 — What fly predators are and how they work

04:11 — The four fly species affecting cattle & how to identify them

07:28 — IPM: integrated pest management explained

09:18 — Fly control for manure piles and large pastures

16:04 — Why fly bags can backfire

20:22 — How to know what flies you actually have

23:35 — Resistance to sprays and rotating active ingredients

28:22 — How fly predators reproduce and what results to expect

31:09 — When to call Spalding Labs instead of ordering online

Learn more and get a custom fly program at www.spalding-labs.com

Follow us on social media so you don't miss out on any advice, auction updates, or crazy farm stories!

Find us on Facebook: Horns N Hooves

Instagram: @hornsnhoovesauctionpodcast

TikTok: @Hornsnhoovespodcast

Website: hornsnhoovesauction.com

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/