Wanted: Dung Beetles
 

Interesting article about this year's fly problems in Margaret River:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...04/2784809.htm

Well, the local council could always buy some, there's a bloke in Canberra who can help - www.dungbeetle.com.au

Good to know Pat - maybe I'll pass that on. I love AU, but I hate the flies.

Stock up on the Rid, Melnq8, with these rains the little blighters will have a field day.

I stopped for breakfast at Cann River on NYE and had a very funny exchange with a French family whose English was about equal to my French. The "extras" at the very attractive outside area weren't apparent until our meals arrived. I headed straight to the car for the little pink roll-on and offered it to the party of 3 who were fast learning the "Great Aussie Wave". Bemused at first, probably more by my "Franglish" than anything else, we got there with a demo and all settled down to a peaceful meal sans flies.



http://www.discovereastgippsland.com.au/cannriver.asp

Has anyone tried the citronella bangles that are supposed to get rid of flies and mosquitoes?

Haven't heard of those Susan, any idea where I might find one?

I saw one in a pharmacy some time ago but can't remember where, just a quick google search turned up this one:

http://www.organicsaustraliaonline.com.au/prod380.htm

I find burning citronella sticks very effective when we have BBQs so I was hoping the bangle or bracelet might be a good thing for bush walks.

The dung beetle story is interesting. There have always been native dung beetles in Australia, but having evolved to handle native animal droppings they had no chance against the large introduced mammals that spread through the country after European settlement.

In 1969 the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation) set out to even the balance and eventually introduced several exotic types of beetle. From memory they included a large African beetle, a tough customer used to dealing with elephant and rhino droppings, to get on top of water buffalo manure in the Northern Territory.

Given the disastrous result of other introduced species such the rabbit, the cane toad and the prickly pear it was a very carefully tested research program, and as far as I know free of adverse consequences.

Dung beetles are a huge help. Apart from denying flies a breeding medium they return lots of grazing land to productivity, aerate and fertilise the soil.

"The average cow drops 10-12 dung pads per day, fouling pastures and creating enormous breeding grounds for flies. A single dung pad can produce up to 3,000 flies within a fortnight."
- www.csiro.au/solutions/DungBeetles.html

If you love Australia but hate the flies then leave Western Australia and the centre of Australia and stick with the Eastern coast where there is not a fly problem. I only remember how bad they are in Western Australia when I watch the cricket on TV when they play there and wonder why people put up with it.

House or bushflies aren't a problem where I live Melnq in tropical Qld, but I'd like to know what to do about ants, short of resorting to total chemical warfare which will harm everything else. Tiny little ants, hordes of them, insect screens are useless as they bore through the concrete pad the house sits on.

Hi Pat -

When I lived in Texas our solution for fire ants was cinnamon - we'd pour it on the ant hills in our yard and they'd move next door (!).

In Indonesia I did battle with teenie tiny black ants that got in around my kitchen windows - I'd lay a line of powdered cleanser that contained bleach near the entry point and along their path - it worked.

I rather like the idea of using cinnamon to combat ants! Mel, when you say pour, did you make a tea out of it?

I wondered that too Susan, but after Melnq's advice I just sprinkled lots of dried cinnamon around the entrance holes which are easy to find as there are small piles of ant excavation material gathered as they bore in from underground. It's worked so far at least for the last 6 hours, not an ant in sight, so thanks for that Melnq. Nice smell too, beats the old Mortein.

I guess I should have said sprinkled...in the US warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club sell massive tubs of powdered cinnamon for dirt cheap. We'd just sprinkle the powdered cinnamon directly on the ant hills and presto, they'd pull up stakes and move.

I hope it works for you long term Pat.

Mel said:
<i>I love AU, but I hate the flies.</i>

Gee, Mel - they speak well of you! :)

Hmmmmm...

oops we are in Margaret River in February-my husband attracts flies and mosquitoes!!!!

northie, leave the husband at home as you don't need him to attract anymore than will be around already

Hi Susan,

regarding the bangles -- I bought something that sounds similiar at Bed, Bath and Beyond after seeing another agent wearing them in Tahiti. They were the rubber twisty circles, the kind of "key ring" motels often give you to wear on your wrist or people wear them at the pool. These were for ankles and/or wrist.

I got them home and wanted to take them out of the heavy plastic, bulky packaging to put them in the travel container that I have packed and ready to go = WHEW! The smell - it reeked! I put them in a Ziplock bag to lie flat, and I could still smell it through that. I was afraid it would permeate everything else in the container so I ended up throwing them out without using them, but I'd say they'd probably keep flies away - and any other living thing around you! :)

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

Hi Melodie, LOL, so they're just repellent in general!