You’re a fly magnet, food producer.
It’s okay. It’s not entirely your fault. You’re just too tempting.
In all seriousness, spring brings with it a swarm of flying insects. From a wide variety of flies to yellow jackets, moths and so much more, it can seem like an endless battle to protect your airspace.
We met with a few pest controllers and product suppliers to find out what flying insects are on your business, how to control them, and more.
Big flies.
From a food safety perspective, these are the main culprits when it comes to the potential spread of pathogens. Cisse Spragins, owner and CEO of Rockwell Labs, said the main species you look for here are houseflies, blowflies, and smaller houseflies, all of which breed outdoors and are attracted to food processors by a number of factors, including odor Food (that you cannot fully control) and junk (that you can mitigate).
“They come in because they can smell the food,” she said. “It’s stuff they’ll feed on.”
They’re also drawn to light and certain temperature swings, said Mel Whitson, director of technical field work at Central Life Sciences. He said flies are constantly looking for around 82 degrees. When it’s hotter outside, they are drawn to air-conditioned indoor spaces. When it’s colder, the other way around.
“There will be a temperature gradient around the doors that you will find delightful,” he said.
To prevent these flies from entering, the entrances must be secured with foreclosure products and the doors must remain closed. However, if you keep the exterior of your structure, you can keep it in check. Keep the landscape and vegetation around the structure in good condition and ensure that the trash is covered and not building up.
“It doesn’t take much to make these areas attractive to these flies,” Spragins said, recommending the use of organic hygiene products (which her company sells to the pest control and food industry) to effectively dispose of waste. “That will actually remove the odor that this material puts off.”
Whitson also said that light traps can be of great help with those big flies finding their way inside, but positioning is key. Keep them low and make sure the lights aren’t pointing at the entrances as this will attract more flies.
“When they’re in feeding mode, they’re usually within four feet of the ground,” he said.
Useful examples
The following practical examples come from the “PCT Field Guide for the Management of Structure-Infesting Flies”. The fully revised and updated second edition of the book is now available. This handy field guide is twice the size of the original and was written by the well-known industry consultant Stoy Hedges. It offers valuable insights into the identification, biology and control of flies, an expanded section with color identifications and an expanded taxonomic key. The cost for the 264-page paperback is $ 14.95 per copy. Volume discounts are available. To order, call 800-456-0707, visit store.pctonline.com, or email pcorrao@gie.net.
Case # 1 – fruit flies
One food warehouse reported that fruit flies were seen in the offices at the front of the warehouse. The facility inspection revealed that the repackaging area for the warehouse was right outside the offices. Fruit flies have been found to breed in this area. In a repackaging area, damaged boxes of food are removed so that salvageable food can be stored and repacked in new boxes. The presence of exposed food in these damaged boxes provides an excellent breeding source for fruit flies (and phorid flies).
In an active warehouse, it can be difficult to repackage damaged food quickly enough to prevent at least some flies from breeding. This situation was exacerbated by the fact that the repackaging area was just outside the offices and some flies invariably managed to enter the offices. The warehouse manager stated that the repackaging process could not be relocated to another area of the warehouse. To reduce the possibility of fly infestation, the repackaging staff were instructed to give priority to repackaging moist products such as meat cans, dog food and jelly. Although some flies could still be seen in the repackaging area, at least the sightings of flies in the offices stopped.
Lessons learned: Outer packaging areas in food warehouses are the main breeding sources for flies. Handling certain types of damaged food quickly can reduce the number of flies present in such an area. Fruit fly traps can help reduce the number of flies outside the repackaging area.
Case No. 2 – Houseflies & Flapping Flies
A brewery reported a fly problem in one of the brewhouses in the summer months. The brewhouse was equipped with several overhead doors that were kept open to cool the interior on hot days. Unfortunately, the smells coming from the brewhouse attracted numerous flies. The brewery management did not want the doors to be closed, which would have prevented the flies from entering. The problem was solved by recommending the construction of large screens in wooden frames that fit into the frames of the overhead doors. These screens allowed ventilation in the form of outside air to enter while preventing flies from entering.
Lessons learned: There is nothing like an adequate exclusion to reduce or eliminate flies from entering buildings.
Small flies.
Whitson has one piece of advice he gives to all quality assurance and food safety professionals when it comes to small flies like fruit flies: The same environments that are breeding grounds for pathogens like Listeria are the places most likely to be used for the same purpose Fruit flies.
“Most of the time it’s a revelation,” he said. “So don’t be surprised how the listeria got from the drain into the food, as they are a common place for pathogens and insects.”
Spragins says any establishment that ferments or uses a lot of sugar or fruit will attract fruit or drain flies, which will reproduce indoors after boarding.
“Usually [drain flies breed] in the drainage foam – anywhere you have a surface that pretty routinely has water running over, ”she said. “You look like a film that is kind of forming there, which is basically made by bacteria, and then drain flies lay their eggs in that film.”
To combat them, keep up to date with the plumbing, and Spragins said drains are another place you can use organic hygiene products to consume the scraps.
While fruit and drain flies are not classified as public health pests by the Environmental Protection Agency, Spragins has determined that you still want to get rid of them.
“It can be really annoying to have them around you, even just for people who work there,” she said. “And it’s disgusting. Obviously, they don’t want them in the product. ”
Saved product flying pests.
According to Whitson, one of the first steps in preventing flying pests like moths is to check what you are receiving and ask suppliers to treat incoming produce like unprocessed grain. The second step, he said, is to check the stored product before using it.
Finally, be sure to flip the incoming product as this is the way most of the stored product pests end up in a facility.
“It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?” he said. “First in, first out.”
Whitson said it was important to inspect shelves and other cracks and crevices in storage areas to ensure that grain, flour or rice was not spilled and collected in unseen areas.
“Examine things from all angles and make sure you clean up what is at risk,” he said.
Moths are also most likely to look for processed grains and cereals. Therefore, pay special attention to these products.
“They don’t have the same destructive gums,” Whitson said.
Other flying insects.
A number of other flying insects can cause problems in the spring and summer. Eastern yellow jackets are attracted to facilities that process fruit and sugar, while western yellow jackets are attracted to meat and poultry. Both can lead to a health risk for employees.
“You don’t want to sting,” said Spragins.
Anna Berry, technical director at McCloud Services based in Illinois, said it was also important to be on the lookout for flying ants (the reproductive members of an ant colony), midges, and biting mosquitoes, as these can all be a nuisance to employees.
“But their presence is normal and temporary,” she said. “As summer approaches, we will see fewer and fewer ants flying as the mating season decreases. Foreclosure and external chemical treatments can significantly reduce the number of flying ants. ”
