Bestico UK

03/09/2026

Stable Fly is the bane of so many animals and is one of the most widespread flies in the UK. The adult is 5-7mm long, identified by a light brown colour, with a pale stripe on the thorax. Stable Fly bear thick hairs across the thorax and abdomen, and their prominent proboscis can distinguish this from Horse Fly. They can be particularly troublesome in milking parlours and in grazing areas, as they follow CO2 and heat produced by animals to find food and breeding grounds, but the larvae can be identified by its pale yellow to creamy white colour and it has two rear spiracles and a mouth hook like most fly maggots.

Stable Fly can breed in and wet fermenting or rotting organic matter, giving them the nickname “lawn-mower fly” as the larvae can often be found in the grass trimmings on the underside of lawn mowers – getting egg control to these breeding areas is the key to controlling them.

For treating the Stable Fly, we recommend Biomite, a mite that eats fly eggs and fly larvae, which can be used in combination with other BESTICO products to attack other pest fly species. For more information, including guidance on usage and free site assessments, send us an email on [email protected] or call 01284 636362 – check the link in our bio for more details!

12/08/2026

Enjoying a stroll in beautiful Abbey Gardens with the Bestico Boys 🌺

Greek food too 🇬🇷

12/08/2026

A man and his Ploughman’s. Alex recently became a dad and has done a great job of taking over the “eating for two” role 🫃

06/08/2026

Drone Fly + Rat Tailed Maggot – Eristalis tenax

The drone fly is the adult form of the rat-tailed maggot. Gardeners will recognise the small, flittering, bright yellow or orange insect moving between various flowers mimicking honeybees. Farmers will recognize their larvae, the rat-tailed maggot, with its long snorkel like tail used for breathing while in water.

The rat-tailed maggot is a common occurrence in slurry pits, lagoons and other wet areas with lots of organic matter and is often treated as a pest due to this, however, the adult is an important pollinator. Some reports atte that with carrot flowers, the drone fly is 11 times more effective than honey bees, and three times more effective when pollinating radish flowers.

Because of this it can be important to make sure that some species are allowed to live in pits such as those on farms. Harsh chemical pesticides may kill everything in an area, whereas targeted pest control, such as Biowasp, or trapping of pest flies, such as with out Bucket Trap will preserve the Drone Fly and other beneficial species in your pits.

For more info about Biowasp and our Bucket Traps, check the link in our bio!

29/07/2026

Sweet kittens discovered in a calf hutch this morning 😻

23/07/2026

Some July snaps 🧡

22/07/2026

01/07/2026

The Lesser House Fly (Fannia canicularis) is a pest fly that causes great annoyance to both animals and people. If you have ever had a very annoying fly buzzing around your home, or seen clusters of flies around a cow’s or horse’s eyes and mouth, there is a good chance this will be The Lesser House Fly, or its larger cousin, the Common House Fly.

This fly feeds and breeds primarily on decaying matter, such as rotting vegetation in bins and compost heaps, faecal matter in fields and manure piles, or other biological matter like carrion. The adult flies will feed and lay eggs in and around this food, with maggots also feeding in the same area.

Attracted by CO2, the Lesser House Fly will hunt out warms place with high concentrations of gas, meaning they are drawn to people, animals and our Bestico Fly Trap Bucket (available at the link in our bio). Aside from causing annoyance and stress when landing on and around us, the Lesser House Fly can also spread disease and bacteria when landing and feeding. Because of this, it is important to keep this species in mind when considering what Fly Control to use.

Biological control is also effective against the Lesser House Fly, with Biowasp, Biofly and Biomite all being effective in the pest’s various breeding grounds. Contact us to find out more, or check the link in our bio: 01284 636362 – [email protected]

19/06/2026

Our Bucket Traps are getting plenty of use with the sudden heat after all the rain!

Get yours at the link in our bio!

19/06/2026

Biofly (H. aenescens) is a species of fly that predates on the maggots of pest flies such as Musca domestica. Biofly is particularly effective in livestock buildings with a slurry tank or a wet pit as in the larval stage, the Biofly maggot is carnivorous and will seek out Musca larvae for food.

During the adult stage, Biofly is photophobic, and will prefer to hide in dark damp areas, and has little interest in livestock animals or feed areas. Thanks to this behaviour, Biofly can also be used in our hangable Release Stations, to keep the pupae out of the reach of animals that may consume it (particularly pigs and goats!).

Easily identifiable by its shiny black body, Biofly is slightly smaller than Musca domestica, and typically will spread its legs in a “spider-like” way, whereas pest flies will tend to bunch their middle legs with their front legs. While in the muck areas, Biofly will scavenge and dig for food, and hunt for areas to breed. Because of this, Biofly can aid in the breakup of crust in pits while continuing its life cycle.

Biofly can be used in combination with other BESTICO products such as Biomite and our Bucket Fly Traps. For more information, including guidance on usage and site assessments, send us an email on [email protected] or call 01284 636362