3 pp., 3 figuresLarge populations of stable flies can substantially reduce the income of beef and dairy producers. This publication explains how to suppress stable flies effectively and economically

Tomberlin, Jeffery K.

Because of its painful bite, the stable fly is a considerable pest of livestock and people. Populations of more than 20 flies per cow can significantly lower income for livestock producers. Infestations of 50 flies per cow on beef cattle have reduced weight gain by 25 percent and, in dairy cattle, have decreased milk production by 40 to 60 percent

Texas A&amp;M Repository

English

Suppression of Stable Flies on Cattle

Texas A&M University

Suppression of Stable Flies
on Cattle
Jeffery K. Tomberlin
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist
The Texas A&M University System
B
ecause of its painful bite,
the stable fly is a consider-
able pest of livestock and
people. Populations of
more than 20 flies per cow can
significantly lower income for live-
stock producers. Infestations of 50
flies per cow on beef cattle have
reduced weight gain by 25 percent
and, in dairy cattle, have
decreased milk production by 40
to 60 percent. 
To suppress stable flies effec-
tively and economically, it is
important to:
• Be able to identify them properly;
• Understand the insect’s life cycle to be
able to interrupt it; and
• Use a combination of control strategies.
Identification
The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, (Fig. 1)
looks like the housefly and horn fly, but it is
considerably larger (1⁄4 inch). Also unlike these
flies, its mouthparts resemble a bayonet that
can easily be seen protruding from its head.
Unlike the housefly, the stable fly depends on
blood as food and has an extremely painful bite. 
The stable fly also resembles
the deer fly and horse fly.
However, stable flies primarily
attack the legs of livestock; these
other flies do not.
Biology and habitat
The stable fly has a complete
life cycle with egg, larval, pupal
and adult stages (Fig. 2).
Populations can grow quickly: A
female stable fly lives for about 3
to 4 weeks and lays about 500 to
600 eggs during its lifetime.
Under optimal conditions, an egg
can develop into an adult in 3 to 4 weeks;
therefore, several generations can develop
each year.
The eggs are typically laid in wet straw,
such as around hay bales (Fig. 3) or in other
decomposing vegetation mixed with the urine
and feces produced by the confined animals. 
Management
To suppress stable fly populations efficient-
ly, producers should use an integrated pest
management (IPM) approach. IPM relies on
Figure 1. Adult stable fly (Photo
courtesy of Bart Drees, Texas
Cooperative Extension).
E-212
7/04
three tactics for successful suppression of an
insect pest: cultural, biological and chemical.
Cultural control: Using cultural control
methods involves manipulating the environ-
ment to reduce insect pest populations. The
most economical method for suppressing sta-
ble fly populations is sanitation. 
In confined animal facilities, a top priority
should be to eliminate stable fly breeding sites
as often as possible. To do this, remove and
spread decomposing vegetation or bedding
material that has become mixed with urine
and feces. Doing so will allow the material to
dry faster and prevent colonization by the sta-
ble fly. 
This practice can also be implemented for
range cattle. During the winter, hay bales are
often provided as food for cattle. However,
over the course of the winter, the sites where
hay bales have been placed become ideal sta-
ble fly breeding areas (Fig. 3). To reduce stable
fly populations on the range, implement the
same cultural practices as for confined animal
facilities. 
Another tactic for confined animal areas is
to design the stalls to allow for complete
manure removal and drainage. Also, clean out
the wet feed remaining in the ends of troughs
at least weekly, because it can serve as a
breeding site for flies. 
For small to moderate fly populations of
adult flies, sticky ribbons and other mechani-
cal methods are effective. However, if used
alone, these methods will not substantially
reduce fly numbers. Another drawback is that
such materials must be changed every 1 to 2
weeks because they dry out, become coated
with dust or become “saturated” with flies.
Biological control: This IPM tactic uses
natural predators, parasites or pathogens to
suppress pests. Examples include some
species of parasitic wasps that lay their eggs
in immature stable flies. The resulting wasp
offspring feed on the stable fly maggot and
eventually kill it. The immature parasitic
wasp then will develop into an adult, emerge
from the fly pupa and repeat its cycle. 
These parasitoids are available commercial-
ly and can be used to augment natural popula-
tions. However, although parasitic wasps offer
some measure of control, they do not produce
immediate results, and they are not 100 per-
cent effective. Therefore, do not use biological
control alone but in concert with other meth-
ods, such as sanitation. 
Chemical control: If a stable fly problem
persists, an insecticide can be used. Many
compounds are available for suppressing adult
and larval stable fly populations.
Animals can be treated as needed with
ready-to-use sprays containing pyrethrins.
Residual wall sprays such as Demon® (400g/kg
cypermethrin), Cislin10® (10 g/L deltamethrin)
or Dyfly Plus® (10g/kg methomyl) can be
applied to surfaces where the insects rest. 
Figure 2. Stable fly maggots and pupa (Photo courtesy of Bart
Drees, Texas Cooperative Extension).
Figure 3. Remnants of hay bales can become breeding sites for
stable flies.
Backrubs, which use compounds such as Co-
Ral 11.6% EC (coumaphos) or Atroban 11% EC
(permethrin), also can reduce stable fly popu-
lations. However, because backrubs are
applied only to the animal’s back, some areas,
such as the animal’s legs, are not treated and
are open for stable fly feeding. 
For dairy cattle, spray products such as
Disvap III® (0.2% dichlorvos, 0.02% perme-
thrin, 0.1% butoxyde de pipéronyle, 0.3% di-n-
propyle-isocinchoméronate) can be used. 
For more information
Additional information on insecticides
labeled for livestock arthropod pests can be
viewed at: 
http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~jktomberlin/lspe
st.html
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Bart Drees
and Greta Schuster of Texas Cooperative
Extension and L. Tomberlin for their helpful
comments on this manuscript.
Educational programs of Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, reli-


Suppression of Stable Flieson CattleJeffery K. TomberlinAssistant Professor and Extension SpecialistThe Texas A&M University SystemBecause of its painful bite,the stable fly is a consider-able pest of livestock andpeople. Populations ofmore than 20 flies per cow cansignificantly lower income for live-stock producers. Infestations of 50flies per cow on beef cattle havereduced weight gain by 25 percentand, in dairy cattle, havedecreased milk production by 40to 60 percent. To suppress stable flies effec-tively and economically, it isimportant to:• Be able to identify them properly;• Understand the insect’s life cycle to beable to interrupt it; and• Use a combination of control strategies.IdentificationThe stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, (Fig. 1)looks like the housefly and horn fly, but it isconsiderably larger (1⁄4 inch). Also unlike theseflies, its mouthparts resemble a bayonet thatcan easily be seen protruding from its head.Unlike the housefly, the stable fly depends onblood as food and has an extremely painful bite. The stable fly also resemblesthe deer fly and horse fly.However, stable flies primarilyattack the legs of livestock; theseother flies do not.Biology and habitatThe stable fly has a completelife cycle with egg, larval, pupaland adult stages (Fig. 2).Populations can grow quickly: Afemale stable fly lives for about 3to 4 weeks and lays about 500 to600 eggs during its lifetime.Under optimal conditions, an eggcan develop into an adult in 3 to 4 weeks;therefore, several generations can developeach year.The eggs are typically laid in wet straw,such as around hay bales (Fig. 3) or in otherdecomposing vegetation mixed with the urineand feces produced by the confined animals. ManagementTo suppress stable fly populations efficient-ly, producers should use an integrated pestmanagement (IPM) approach. IPM relies onFigure 1. Adult stable fly (Photocourtesy of Bart Drees, TexasCooperative Extension).E-2127/04three tactics for successful suppression of aninsect pest: cultural, biological and chemical.Cultural control: Using cultural controlmethods involves manipulating the environ-ment to reduce insect pest populations. Themost economical method for suppressing sta-ble fly populations is sanitation. In confined animal facilities, a top priorityshould be to eliminate stable fly breeding sitesas often as possible. To do this, remove andspread decomposing vegetation or beddingmaterial that has become mixed with urineand feces. Doing so will allow the material todry faster and prevent colonization by the sta-ble fly. This practice can also be implemented forrange cattle. During the winter, hay bales areoften provided as food for cattle. However,over the course of the winter, the sites wherehay bales have been placed become ideal sta-ble fly breeding areas (Fig. 3). To reduce stablefly populations on the range, implement thesame cultural practices as for confined animalfacilities. Another tactic for confined animal areas isto design the stalls to allow for completemanure removal and drainage. Also, clean outthe wet feed remaining in the ends of troughsat least weekly, because it can serve as abreeding site for flies. For small to moderate fly populations ofadult flies, sticky ribbons and other mechani-cal methods are effective. However, if usedalone, these methods will not substantiallyreduce fly numbers. Another drawback is thatsuch materials must be changed every 1 to 2weeks because they dry out, become coatedwith dust or become “saturated” with flies.Biological control: This IPM tactic usesnatural predators, parasites or pathogens tosuppress pests. Examples include somespecies of parasitic wasps that lay their eggsin immature stable flies. The resulting waspoffspring feed on the stable fly maggot andeventually kill it. The immature parasiticwasp then will develop into an adult, emergefrom the fly pupa and repeat its cycle. These parasitoids are available commercial-ly and can be used to augment natural popula-tions. However, although parasitic wasps offersome measure of control, they do not produceimmediate results, and they are not 100 per-cent effective. Therefore, do not use biologicalcontrol alone but in concert with other meth-ods, such as sanitation. Chemical control: If a stable fly problempersists, an insecticide can be used. Manycompounds are available for suppressing adultand larval stable fly populations.Animals can be treated as needed withready-to-use sprays containing pyrethrins.Residual wall sprays such as Demon® (400g/kgcypermethrin), Cislin10® (10 g/L deltamethrin)or Dyfly Plus® (10g/kg methomyl) can beapplied to surfaces where the insects rest. Figure 2. Stable fly maggots and pupa (Photo courtesy of BartDrees, Texas Cooperative Extension).Figure 3. Remnants of hay bales can become breeding sites forstable flies.Backrubs, which use compounds such as Co-Ral 11.6% EC (coumaphos) or Atroban 11% EC(permethrin), also can reduce stable fly popu-lations. However, because backrubs areapplied only to the animal’s back, some areas,such as the animal’s legs, are not treated andare open for stable fly feeding. For dairy cattle, spray products such asDisvap III® (0.2% dichlorvos, 0.02% perme-thrin, 0.1% butoxyde de pipéronyle, 0.3% di-n-propyle-isocinchoméronate) can be used. For more informationAdditional information on insecticideslabeled for livestock arthropod pests can beviewed at: http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~jktomberlin/lspest.htmlAcknowledgmentsThe author would like to thank Bart Dreesand Greta Schuster of Texas CooperativeExtension and L. Tomberlin for their helpfulcomments on this manuscript.Educational programs of Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, reli-

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Suppression of Stable Flies on Cattle

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Suppression of Stable Flies on Cattle

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