Absolutely loving travelling in our motorhome after working all our lives but I originally grew up in Victoria and haven't been here for 50 years and can't believe the amount of flies buzzing around. Some of the places we've been it's almost impossible to sit outside. Not just us but I notice others say the same on Wikicamps. Has something happened in the last 50 years? Never used to be this many annoying pests around. Dave
Travelling to Darwin a couple of years ago I found stopping at the official free camps was horrendous for flies. Traveled a few kilometers down the road and stopped off the road under the trees and saw a few but manageable. My thoughts were that suitable attracting material was being left behind in the free camps. Traveled with my father who had stayed in the camps years before without issue.
This was consistent at every stop
-- Edited by wauri on Tuesday 19th of January 2016 06:39:33 PM
Well you need a trip to Mildura, no flies or mosquitos, the council sprays for them, is lovely change to be able to be able to sit outside at night......
its interesting that some really small shires that have marshy or creeks/rivers in their catchment area spray for mossies and flies and it seems to work - maybe they can get away with it whereas in cities there'd be an uproar about the risks to the populace of the sprays.
In WA about 18 years ago, the State govt paid the CSIRO to find a suitable control for flies - particularly march/horse/farm flies that invade the coastal towns and cities in the summer from the inland areas (like the wheatbelt)
They came up with a dung beetle from Africa and imported a few 1000 and then breed them in their millions, releasing them each year into the country. It only cost a few $100K to start and then each year it cost the State $70K to maintain the programme and the fly problem almost disappeared. The beetle rolled animal dung into holes, laid its eggs into it and the hatchlings ate the dunk before moving on and breeding more of its kind.
About 12 years ago we had an celebrity news reporter for the ABC and Channel 7 living here. A particular political party decided he had such a huge public "like" that they took him straight in as Opposition Leader and at the next election he became a one term Premiere (until people realized his very limited ability at running anything). But as the Boss, he decided the fly problem was fixed and despite the advice of the CSIRO, he pulled the pin on it to save $70K.
Over the past few years WA has also suffered badly from these biters and the current Govt re-introduced the CSIRO beetle breeding programme again 2 years ago, It is thought it will take another 3-4 years before fly inundation in WA drops off again.
Perhaps you need to lobby your local SA MP's to follow suit......
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Yes Bruce is spot on about the CSIRO and the Dung Beetle program. The person responsible for the program was let go by CSIRO Land & Water Black Mountain Canberra and he started his own business breeding dung beetles at home and then traveling the country based on requests to provide the beetles. His daughter started an offshoot of the business in QLd. and from last reports was running a small but profitable business. Not full time but a steady income from farmers who were wishing to improve their soil as well, the flies to some degree.
I had the opportunity tol ook after with Mr ???? and his daughter, as I was the lending person for the CSIRO Credit Union funding the new business start up. (This was in 2004 so a few years back.)
Last Sept/Oct we did a 7 week trip from Melbourne up to Bourke, Cobar, Wilcannia, Broken Hill & back down to Melbourne. THE FLIES WERE HORRIFIC! Fly nets were sold out everywhere. We finally managed to get 2 at Wentworth.
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Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
Geee......... You guys are putting me off .......just itching to get out there......
Flies could explain that recent story of the couplecwho did the lap in less then 6 weeks........ Stay in air conditioned vehicle and have no pesky flies.......
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I Remember It ...............All Too Well
Wherever the four winds blow. I'm restless, I'm ready
Last Sept/Oct we did a 7 week trip from Melbourne up to Bourke, Cobar, Wilcannia, Broken Hill & back down to Melbourne. THE FLIES WERE HORRIFIC! Fly nets were sold out everywhere. We finally managed to get 2 at Wentworth.
This image was taken at Curraweena Rest Area between Cobar & Broken Hill. After hanging this fly trap on our awning it took only a few hours for it to become filled to the brim with a seething mass of flies & maggots. Worst of all there were still more flying around camp which eventually drove us inside. They were crawlimg in our ears, up our noses & in our mouths despite using spray repellents like Aerogard, Bush-Mate & Off. Nothing worked!
In SA and NT Woolworths/Safeway home brand insect repellant is available in a yellow can with 40% DEET, the same as the most expensive Bushmans cans but for less than a quarter of the price (under $4).
If you see it buy up on a few cans because the capital cities stores don't have it as a stock line.
So cheap you can dose yourself with copious amounts and not be concerned about the price and the high DEET level means it works a treat.
In SA and NT Woolworths/Safeway home brand insect repellant is available in a yellow can with 40% DEET, the same as the most expensive Bushmans cans but for less than a quarter of the price (under $4).
If you see it buy up on a few cans because the capital cities stores don't have it as a stock line.
So cheap you can dose yourself with copious amounts and not be concerned about the price and the high DEET level means it works a treat.
Like we've said above, we tried all sorts of repellents & even the expensive ones didn't work. We reckon some of the generic brands actually ATTRACTED flies.
__________________
Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
<quote> Like we've said above, we tried all sorts of repellents & even the expensive ones didn't work. We reckon some of the generic brands actually ATTRACTED flies. </quote>
After every rain the flies breed like..well... flies. Nothing unusual about that but a 'quality' insect repellant WILL work, if you ignore the branding. Ignore words like "extra strong" or "tropical strength", they mean absolutely nothing! Price or brand is not a reliable indicator to quality, the active ingredients and their quantities per kilogram are what you must be sure to look for on the label. Even the well known brands like 'Aerogaurd' and 'Bushmans' can be a waste of money in the outback if you buy the city variety.
Specifically, the main active ingredient you must look for to actually repel flies and mosquitoes is DEET (diethyltoluamide). For outback use, make sure the can you buy contains 40% DEET (400g/kg diethyltoluamide) .
<quote> Like we've said above, we tried all sorts of repellents & even the expensive ones didn't work. We reckon some of the generic brands actually ATTRACTED flies. </quote>
After every rain the flies breed like..well... flies. Nothing unusual about that but a 'quality' insect repellant WILL work, if you ignore the branding. Ignore words like "extra strong" or "tropical strength", they mean absolutely nothing! Price or brand is not a reliable indicator to quality, the active ingredients and their quantities per kilogram are what you must be sure to look for on the label. Even the well known brands like 'Aerogaurd' and 'Bushmans' can be a waste of money in the outback if you buy the city variety.
Specifically, the main active ingredient you must look for to actually repel flies and mosquitoes is DEET (diethyltoluamide). For outback use, make sure the can you buy contains 40% DEET (400g/kg diethyltoluamide) .
A good post Hylife, and good info.
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Yes I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
Last Sept/Oct we did a 7 week trip from Melbourne up to Bourke, Cobar, Wilcannia, Broken Hill & back down to Melbourne. THE FLIES WERE HORRIFIC! Fly nets were sold out everywhere. We finally managed to get 2 at Wentworth.
This image was taken at Curraweena Rest Area between Cobar & Broken Hill. After hanging this fly trap on our awning it took only a few hours for it to become filled to the brim with a seething mass of flies & maggots. Worst of all there were still more flying around camp which eventually drove us inside. They were crawlimg in our ears, up our noses & in our mouths despite using spray repellents like Aerogard, Bush-Mate & Off. Nothing worked!
I find those fly traps very effective even better when you buy them for the neighbours then all the flies are attracted to their places
who wants to go into business with me and a few other nomads - we'll get ourselves some dung beetles from the farming areas where the CSIRO release them, gather up some cattle rolls and breed them by the millions. We can then write lots of letters to city newspapers and post on social media about the fly problem which will fire up the locals and then flog "The Beetles" off for a tidy profit to the various state govts, councils and shires who will want to shut up their fly complaining voters
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Obviously not just me then and I told my wife something happened because I knew the Dung beetles had reduced them. Good old politicians eh. Nothing like them to muck up a good program. No flies here at the moment. Belting down with rain and 18 degrees. Dave
