Praying mantis have triangular heads that they can turn 180 degrees in their hunt for food and can see up to 50 feet. They are either green or brown and their long slender body resembles a leaf. This helps them hide from hungry birds, bats, lizards and other insect eaters. Praying mantis need to be able to hide to survive, so they won’t be attacked and also in their hunt for food.

Praying Mantis are carnivores and hunt by either slowly stalking their prey or blending in with their surrounding and waiting for something to get to close. Then, when the time is right they strike out with their fore arms faster than a fly can bat it’s wing trying to escape. Their arm have rows of tiny spikes snatching their prey and pinning it in place as they feed. When the mantis first emerge from their eggs in spring they are quite small and so is what they attack as they feed on aphids, spider mites and flies. As they grow and get bigger and so does their prey, by summer they will be feeding on mosquitoes, moths and crickets. And if there is nothing else to feed on they will attack each other. In fact, the female mantis will turn on the male as they mate by biting their neck and feeding to get protein to help egg development.

At the end of her life cycle the female will lay several eggs in the fall. The eggs will overwinter and in spring when temperatures start to warm up up to 200 baby manti will emerge from each egg. They hang from the underside of the egg for several minutes as their arms and legs stiffen, they are very similar to what they will look like as adults. Usually the first mantis out of the egg will wait and feed on the last ones out that cannot defend them self’s.

In order to derive ways of eliminating fly infestation we need to know what causes fly infestation. Only a couple of days after an adult female fly emerges from the pupa, she will start to lay eggs, maybe 250 at a time and she lays eggs daily.

In order to lay the eggs, she must first look for decaying or rotting grounds which includes garbage cans, a dead animal carcass lying around or any other rotting food source. And it is possible that such breeding grounds be found on the kitchen counter tops.

So once the fly has found good nesting grounds it will lay tons of eggs. These eggs hatch within the next 24 hours; and what comes out is an off white, translucent, worm like creature which starts to feed on the rotting object almost immediately and they keep on growing. After 5 days they change into a pupa, where in they develop themselves into a fly and emerge after another 2-3 days. So a single fly causes the addition of so many flies in the region and every single fly keeps on reproducing till it dies.

If the fly infestation is kept unchecked, it can increase in number even more and because they feed or nest on rotting objects, they become carriers of harmful diseases. So next time don’t think that the pretty flowers in the vase have attracted the flies; because flies are more a symptom of bad hygiene than a symbol of beautiful fragrance.

Therefore if you identify a fly infestation, beware that something or some dead animal is rotting somewhere. Fly infestation can happen in the homes as well. If it does then the cause of it should be immediately identified and eliminated. It can also be a dead rodent stuck in the walls somewhere.

Spider mites do best in hot, dry conditions. When conditions are ideal eggs can hatch in as little as 3 days and mature in 5 days. Females lay 20 eggs per day for 2 to 4 weeks. 1 female can spawn a population of over 1 million mites in one month. With that information in mind you can see why early detection is so important. It is easier to prevent a spider mite problem than to cure one.

Make a habit of regularly checking your plants. Because spider mite are so tiny use a hand magnifying glass and check the underside of the leaves, looking for adults, eggs or damage. There will also be signs of webbing or a dusty appearance on the leaves. If you suspect you are starting to get a problem put a white sheet of paper under the leaves and gently flick the plant, if you see little dots that move it is most likely a spider mite. It is also a good idea to take your magnifying glass with you when buying new plants so as not to import a problem.

Depending on how closely your plants are spider mite can easily move from one plant to the next. If practical quarantine infested plants. A strong blast from the garden hose will knock the adults off your plant, if your doing this with a potted plant be careful that your not washing the mites off to other plants. Misting the plants also helps as the spider mites prefer low humidity.

Biological control is the next step. General predators, such as ladybugs and green lacewing attack spider mites as well as aphids, scale, whitefly and mealybugs. They attack both the adults and their eggs. Also available are Spider Mite Predators, spices specific beneficial insects that only feed only on spider mites and the eggs. These include

P. persimilis, M. longipes and N. californicus.  Depending on how bad the infestation is more than one release may be needed.

The other option is chemical control. Soft Chemicals like insecticidal oils and soaps will work on the adults and will need to be reapplied every few days until no sign of the adults are present. Spider mites are not effected by regular insecticides, when shopping for a chemical spray check the label to see if miticides are included. Unfortunately miticides do not effect the spider mite eggs so re application is necessary. Because the spider mite experience accelerated reproduction they can develop resistance to chemicals. You you notice that happening switch to another spray.

The one thing to remember with spider mites is that they are easier to prevent than to cure.

It is better to use some kind of fly repellent to keep the flies out of your way as much as you can and for those that are still stubborn enough to get inside you could try one of those methods to kill them.

There is no need to choose chemical fly repellent. There are many household items which can prove to be equally effective fly repellents. Below is a list of some of these natural remedies, you could choose one as per your preference.

1.    A very common homemade fly repellent is the sticky paper. Take some brown bags and cut some of them in to 2 inch strips. Make a concoction of ¼th cup corn syrup with ½ cup of sugar. Mix it well and dip these strips in this mixture. You can hang these strips in the passage ways of flies. Flies are attracted towards it and get stuck on. This does look messy however and you will have to keep on changing the strips with new ones.

2.    Another natural fly repellent is Basil and Lavender. Yes, these beautifully scented herbs and plants can solve other purposes too. You can put pots of these plants near doorways and windows to repel the flies with their nice fragrance.

3.    You can also try eucalyptus oil as a fly repellent. Just drop a few drops on absorbent cloth and keep these pieces of cloth where you think, flies are mostly seen. The smell of this oil repels the flies. Change these cloths every some days, as the smell will fade and finish off.

4.    Borax powder also acts as a fly repellent because it is naturally toxic to many insects and bugs. You can sprinkle borax powder where there is a tendency for the flies to accumulate like the garbage cans.

Flies have a really short life cycle, but they easily compensate it by reproducing hundreds of baby flies in their life. It takes as less as 8-9 days for a fly egg to develop into an adult fly and the adult fly is ready to mate and reproduce in the next 2-3 days.

Since a female fly can lay up to 150-250 daily, a small number of flies can transform into thousands of flies within 10 days, if they are not kept under checked. There are a lots of ways to kill flies both at home and at commercial places. It is best to go for the natural ways so that harm is only done to the flies and not to the people in that area or the atmosphere.

For ages people have been using the fly swatter to kill flies. The effectiveness of a fly swatter largely depends on its user. The house flies are indeed small insects but have great speed and can escape death in only a fraction of a second. When a fly swatter is coming down to hit the fly, it is long gone.

People often keep a plant by the name of ‘Venus Fly Trap’ in their home to kill flies. This plant is carnivorous in nature. The terminal points of the leaves of this plant have tiny hairs which can trigger the capture of the insect. Therefore when an insect or bug lands or comes in contact with those hairs, the plant seizes that little being. However keeping it in a home to kill flies can prove to be over ambitious, because when the flies come swarming, it takes more than a plant to control them.

The most effective and natural method used, especially in farms, to kill flies is the parasitoid wasp. This wasp feeds on the fly when it is only a pupa. The wasp not only kills the fly baby inside but replaces it with its own.

The different flies in home are classified as under. You might recognize some of them through their description.

1.    One of the common flies in home is the grayish-black house fly. It is mostly seen in and around garbage cans or on rotting fruits. Their thorax is marked by dark broad stripes.

2.    The next kind of flies in home is the blow flies. They are characterized by their metallic blue exterior. Like the house flies they are also found near garbage and around animal manure which is near the home. They seek refuge inside the home during winters; however they do not mate during this period. The best way to protect home against houseflies and blowflies is through screening and sanitation.

3.    Cluster flies are also found flying around inside the home. However they should not be mistaken with the houseflies, though the resemblance is there. They do not feed on animal manure or rotting carcasses. Their immature stages are spent as parasites of earthworms under the ground. It comes inside the home to seek refuge from the winter; this is their dormant period. You can recognize a cluster fly in home through its sluggish flying. It moves in a semi-dormant way, therefore could be easily killed by a fly swatter. Prevention of cluster flies includes sealing of cracks.

4.    Fruit flies and drain flies, also known as sewer flies are small but create a lot of nuisance. These flies breed inside the home and don’t need animal manure to do that. The best way to control them is to remove their breeding site.

Flies in home can be categorized further according to their nature. The best ways to control all these flies is through proper sanitation and constant checks for cracks and holes in the home.

In order to get rid of flies and other pests, people usually choose the fly spray as an effective method of eliminating flies. However, is fly spray a safe method? Was using chemical sprays ever safe? Certainly not. Sure the fly sprays don’t affect us right away like it affects the flies and other insects. But when fly spray is used, we do inhale it and repeated use of it enables the toxic chemicals to accumulate in our body till it reaches an amount when it will affect us.

Perhaps the use of a professional fly spray could be an option if you notice a big fly infestation somewhere, either in or outside your home or in the barns and farms. But this should be a one-time measure, or should be done once in several months. And make sure when the fly spray is being used, no humans, especially children and pets should come in breathing range of it.

There are other options which could be tried out, both on big scale and on small scale to control or eliminate accumulating flies and bugs. There are several natural ways to do so. For example the best way to keep you protected from flies and bugs is to prevent such conditions which invite them. Flies and bugs are usually in a habit of living and nesting in unhygienic conditions. Keep your home and the outside area clear of any decaying or rotting material. All the leftover food which could rot should be thrown away sealed in plastic bags.

Instead of using a fly spray there are natural cures available too. On a large scale the introduction of parasitoid wasp greatly reduces the fly population and normal household items can create effective fly repellents and fly traps.

Commercial fly sprays will list the concentration of each active ingredient on the label, the higher the percentage of concentration the longer the protection they will give. Fly sprays will be broken down between ready to use which are convenient, and concentrates that must be diluted before application and will normally be more economical to use. Check the label to be sure that the pests you want to control are listed.

When applying, brush your horse thoroughly to remove dirt and dust. Apply sprays while lightly brushing against the lay of the hair. When applying to the horses face spray on a soft cloth and wipe on keeping the insecticide away from eyes and nose. Do not spray before tacking up. Heat and pressure in the saddle area can become irritating. If signs of sensitivity occur bathe your horse with a mild, non-insecticidal shampoo and thoroughly rinse. Talk with your veterinarian immediately if signs of sensitivity continue. Check the label directions for re-treatment intervals and age restrictions. You will need to re-apply after your horse is washed or exposed to heavy rain.Some commercially available sprays should not be used on foals under 3 months of age.

And remember the most important thing about using sprays, always read, understand and follow all directions

Home Made Fly Sprays Work Great!

Fly sprays are essential in the summer months if you are a horse owner. Even if you are picking up manure daily to cut down an breeding areas, using fly parasites to kill off the fly larvae before they can hatch and putting out traps to catch adults you will still have the need to use sprays for spot treatment of flies time to time.

The horse owner has two choices. Buy a commercially available spray, which is convenient, or mix up a homemade spray, which is more economical and the horse owner has control of what they are putting on their horses skin. Horses have different levels of sensitivity so what treats one horse well might be irritating to their stable mate.

Being a horse owner for over 18 years I must have tried every recipe for fly spray there is. Most recipes are basically the same. In my humble opinion this is the best I have come across. Not only is it inexpensive and easy to mix up but it also helps control a wide range of of horse pests like flies, gnats, ticks and lice.

U.S. Forest Service Bug Spray Recipe

1 cup water

1 cup Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil

2 cups vinegar

1 tbs Eucalyptus oil

3 tbs citronella oil

Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake well before using. Can be used on horse, human or dog. Use only 100% pure citronella oil, not petroleum based citronella for back yard torches. Some

When applying, brush your horse thoroughly to remove dirt and dust. Apply sprays while lightly brushing against the lay of the hair. When applying to the horses face spray on a soft cloth and wipe on keeping the insecticide away from eyes and nose. Do not spray before tacking up. Heat and pressure in the saddle area can become irritating. If signs of sensitivity occur bathe your horse with a mild, non-insecticidal shampoo and thoroughly rinse. Talk with your veterinarian immediately if signs of sensitivity continue. You will need to re-apply after your horse is washed or exposed to heavy rain.