Possible Prevention of Bot Flies

After seeing some recent posts about Bot Flies, I did some "Googling" as it relates to preventing them or lessening the likelihood. I think there may be something out there after reading the following (see below). As with anything it appears to have some drawbacks; however, it also seems to have significant benefits...possibly enough to outweigh the drawbacks in areas with very high Bot Fly populations

I DO NOT KNOW THIS AS FACT, I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS SAFE (it appears to be), THIS IS SIMPLY INFO I FOUND AND THOUGHT IT WORTHY OF CONVERSATION AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.

Neem Oil
Neem oil is used as a bio-pesticide for organic farming, as it repels a wide variety of pests including the beet armyworm, aphids, the cabbage worm, nematodes and the Japanese beetle. Neem Oil is non-toxic to mammals and birds as well as many beneficial insects such as honeybees and lady bugs. Neem oil also controls black spot, powdery mildew, anthracnose and rust (fungus).

Research shows that neem can impact nearly 200 species of insects.
Neem products work by intervening at several different stages of an insect's life. The pest may not die instantly but be incapacitated.

Insect Growth Inhibiting
Neem Oilworks on juvenile hormone. The insect larva feeds and as it grows, sheds its old skin and again starts growing. This shedding of old skin is the process known as moulting and is activated by an enzyme ecdysone. When the neem enters the body of larve, the ecdysone is suppressed, the larva fails to moult, remaining in the Iarva stage and ultimately dies. If the concentration of azadirachtin is not strong enough, the larva can enter the pupal stage but dies at this stage. If the concentration is still less, the Beetle emerging from the pupa is malformed, sterile and without any capacity to reproduce.

Feeding Deterrent
The best property of neem is as a feeding deterent. The Larva feels hungry and begins feeding on the leaf. When the leaf is treated with neem product, this produces something similar to a vomiting sensation in the insect. Because of this the insect will no longer feed on the neem treated surface. Its ability to swallow is also blocked.

Oviposition Deterrent
Another way in which neem reduces pests is by not allowing the females to deposit eggs.
There are also other modes of action known such as:
-Mating as well as sexual communication is disrupted.
-Adults are sterilized.
-Larvae and adults are poisoned.

Use of neem products will not give immediate results like chemical insecticides. Some patience is required after application of neem products.

Effect of Neem on Different Insects
It is important to understand how neem products act on specific insects.

Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids,etc.)
Neem acts as antifeedants. The insects refuse to feed on plants treated with neem for several days to several weeks.

Homoptera (Cicadas, Aphids,Leafhoppers, etc.)
These insects exhibit sensitivity to neem products to varying degrees. In leafhoppers and planthoppers neem product show considerable antifeedant and growth regulating effects.

Thysanoptera (Thrips)
Neem products are very effective in controlling thrips larve which are found in the soil. Their effect is more moderate when used on the developed thrips found on plants.

Coleptera (Beetles, Weevils)
Larvae of all kinds of beetles refuse to feed on plants treated with neem. Their growth is retarded and some soft skinned ones are killed on contact.

Lepidoptea (Moths, Skippers, Millers & Butterflies)
Neem products act as growth deterrents on the larvae of most lepidopterous pests. It also acts as antifeedant.

Diptera (Flies)
Insects like flies, face flies, bot flies, houseflies and horn flies are affected by neem oil.

Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, Sawflies, Ants, etc.)
Bugs like rice bugs and vegetable bugs are affected by neem with antifeedant and growth deterrent properties.

Cockroach
Neem kills young cockroaches. Adults are inhibited from laying their eggs. Baits which are injected with neem seed extract retarded growth of Oriental, Brown banded and German cockroaches.

Brown Planthopper
Neem oil is also effective against Brown Planthopper.

Leafminers
Neem is used very well against leaf miners. When neem is added to the soil through the roots and reach the leaves it starts acting on leaf miners feasting on leaves. The moulting hormones of leaf miners trap them in their own juvenile skins.

Mosquitoes
Larvae of mosquitoes are affected by neem. Crushed neem seeds thrown into pools prevents mosquitoes from breeding.

Fruit Flies
Spraying a dilute neem solution under fruit trees controls these pests.

Nematodes
Neem affect several types of nematodes providing 100% mortality of nematodes. Hatching from egg masses of nematodes was also reduced.

Snails
Neem also kills snails.

Plant Viruses
Beside the insecticidal and nematicidal properly, neem is also a control of plant disease.

Fungi
Neem also possesses antifungal activity. It prevents powdery mildew disease when sprayed before the outbreak.Neem leaf extracts do not kill fungi. When treated with neem leaf extracts the fungus does not reproduce.

Effect on Non - Target Species
One of the problems with the use of chemical pesticides has been their impact on "non-target" species. Often they have proved harmful to various other species in the ecosystem that could be beneficial.

Earthworms
Neem when incorporated into potting soil containing earthworms increased the earthworm population by 25%.

Effect on other Beneficial Insects
Neem is remarkably benign to spiders and other insects like bees that pollinate crops and trees, ladybug beetles that eat aphids and wasps which are parasites on various crop pests. Neem has to be ingested to be effective. Insects which feed on plant tissues, are easily destroyed. However natural enemies like spiders feed on other insects and bees feed on nectar. They rarely come in contact with any significant concentration of neem.

AGAIN, I STRESS THE ABOVE IS FOR CONVERSATIONAL/DISCUSSION PROVOKING PURPOSES ONLY.


I DO NOT KNOW THIS AS FACT, I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS SAFE (it appears to be), THIS IS SIMPLY INFO I FOUND AND THOUGHT IT WORTHY OF CONVERSATION AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.

I have bought Neem oil to use in my greenhouse on spider mites... meh....

It was not as great as I thought it would be.

Worked 1/2 the time maybe if that. :O

and EXPENSIVE as all get out! Whew! A quart was like $20 .... ouch. OK for treating a couple plants that have bugs, but sure would get expensive doing the yard.

But it is ALL NATURAL, and that is very important. Won't hurt anything.

But the spider mites here said..."Neem, bah! We will drink it for breakfast!"

It does say that it is NOT an instant fix, as it disrupts the mating and only kills in certain stages. Maybe it takes several regular applications? My thought process was to eliminate/lessen what they like, how they reproduce, how they travel...thus lessen them.

If it is that expensive, maybe it's just an idea for areas that are infested with them? Maybe?

EDIT: Note the last paragraph...it says it is remarkably benign to spiders...is a spider mite a kind of spider?

Effect on other Beneficial Insects
Neem is remarkably benign to spiders and other insects like bees that pollinate crops and trees, ladybug beetles that eat aphids and wasps which are parasites on various crop pests. Neem has to be ingested to be effective. Insects which feed on plant tissues, are easily destroyed. However natural enemies like spiders feed on other insects and bees feed on nectar. They rarely come in contact with any significant concentration of neem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CrazySquirrelLady

I have bought Neem oil to use in my greenhouse on spider mites... meh....

It was not as great as I thought it would be.

Worked 1/2 the time maybe if that. :O

and EXPENSIVE as all get out! Whew! A quart was like $20 .... ouch. OK for treating a couple plants that have bugs, but sure would get expensive doing the yard.

But it is ALL NATURAL, and that is very important. Won't hurt anything.

But the spider mites here said..."Neem, bah! We will drink it for breakfast!"

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Spider mites. Spray with soap and water, let sit for a bit, then rinse, and raise the humidity in the area. Another helpful deterrant is misting a couple times a day with a sprayer bottle filled with water and ONE DROP of something like Dawn. That is enough to cut the surface tension on the leaves and allow the water to thoroughly WET everything (it won't "bead" up) and helps keep them under control.

It would be really difficult to spray enough areas to accomplish much - I think most of them pick them up on branches and things, so even just spraying the ground isn't going to do it...

So wonder if putting the stuff in a sprayer and broadcasting it over shrubs, tree trunks and ground would get rid of the pupae even if the nasty wurms weren't affected and if so, how much it'd take--and how long a treatment would last. I HATE bots! And how bout Seven dust?