Flies target Perth after breeding boom

Perth is bracing for a fly invasion, and Meg Letchford's sweet treat was an early target. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: The Sunday Times

IF Perth residents can get through the next two weeks they will have survived the worst of the bush fly season.

Late rains have kept pastures greener longer this year, creating a bigger breeding ground than normal for the flies, according to UWA research professor and fly expert David Cook.

Over the next fortnight millions of bush flies (scientific name Musca vetustissima) will descend on Perth.

Their journey begins in August in the eastern wheatbelt, where mass numbers breed in cattle manure before moving south.

"They hang in there over winter and as the easterly winds crank up and the pastures start drying off the flies sort of follow it along," said Dr Cook, who has just returned from a two-day fly research trip to Lancelin.

In the first two weeks of October the "black wave" hits northern and eastern suburbs such as Wanneroo and Bullsbrook before moving into the heart of the city in early November.

"By Christmas and New Year they'll be down in the South-West corner (in areas like) Busselton, Margaret River and Yallingup," Dr Cook said.

He said the introduction of the dung beetle a decade ago had reduced fly numbers by destroying cattle manure, their breeding ground, faster.

"(In January) all those introduced dung beetles completely decimate the dung pads," he said. "That's when the dung beetles are at their peak activity."

ECU School of Natural Sciences researcher Christopher Kavazos said it was too hard to put a figure on the total number of flies West Australians are forced to deal with in summer.

"It is extremely difficult to measure the abundance because they exist in such high numbers," he said. "Increased rainfall this year is most likely to affect fly numbers by reducing the spring breeding activity and delaying it until conditions become more suitable.

"If the flies' breeding activity is delayed by a month, it is possible that we will see peak fly numbers occurring later in the year than usual."
 

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