Richard Murray, Manager of Research and Development at PCT International, outlines the benefits of using the InVade Bio range of products for small fly control.
Small flies are one of the most common pests in commercial kitchens, food and beverage areas, and food processing facilities. The flies will feed, breed, and live in contaminated areas then land on food or food surfaces, transporting pathogens and increasing the risk of food-borne illness in humans. For this reason they can present a major public health concern. The most common small flies are the drain fly, the fruit fly and phorid flies.
A small amount of organic debris can support a significant small fly problem. Prevention is really the key to successful small fly management and success only comes from eliminating fly larval development sites. Small flies do not just breed and feed in drains and grease traps; they more commonly breed and feed in cracks and crevices if food residue accumulates there. This means that dealing with existing and potential breeding sites in a building is the key to safe, effective and long-term small fly control.
PCT’s InVade Bio products are specifically designed to target small fly breeding sites in and around food areas. The products contain natural, non-pathogenic microbes that digest the scum and larvae where flies breed.
The premium, naturally occurring microbes within InVade products activate within 20 minutes of contacting their food source, the organic debris, and double every 20 minutes after that as long as food and moisture is available to them. InVade Bio products target the root cause of a small fly infestation so can eliminate the breeding site in a single treatment, whereas traditional pesticides target only the emerging adult flies, with frequent reapplication required. The four products that make up the PCT InVade Bio range also contain natural citrus oil as it helps to penetrate the bio film as well as giving a pleasant smell.
InVade Bio Drain is a gel formula packaged as a convenient ready to use squeeze-and-pour product. It coats the sides of drains, digests the scum and controls the drain and fruit flies that breed there. It is used at 100 ml per drain and does not require dilution.
InVade Bio Foam is a concentrate of foaming agents, microbes and citrus diluted at a rate of 30 ml/1 L water. The foam is applied to cracks and crevices to clean down food establishment equipment where food residues build up and where small flies breed. It is also suitable for use in a power foamer to push thick foam up to three metres down a drain. The microbes feed on the scum, bacteria and larvae, resulting in rapid control.
InVade Bio Foam Hot Spot is a ready to use foam in a convenient pressure can. It contains odour-eliminating microbes, citrus oil and a foaming agent. It is ideal for foaming cracks, crevices, drains and beverage line bundles underneath ice machines.
InVade Bio Cleaner is a concentrate of microbes and citrus diluted at a rate of 120 ml/8 L water used for mopping, spraying, foaming and as a drain treatment. It can be sprayed onto surfaces for cleaning and odour elimination, or applied as a crack and crevice treatment. It can also be used in hose-end sprayers or foamers.
PCT’s Invade Bio products can be incorporated into a food safety program including drain and grease trap treatment, hard surface cleaning and deodorising, septic and waste treatment, and carpet and fabric care.
When taking an integrated pest management approach to small fly management, pest managers will include tactics such as inspection, education, cleaning, reduction of harbourages and monitoring. The success of a small fly control program can be determined using monitors, which trap adult flies with the use of lures. These will inform the pest manager of how successful the control strategy has been. Monitors will also catch flies that may come in from outside or have been brought in with produce, and catching these flies before they have an opportunity to lay eggs is beneficial to the overall control program. Small traps with lures may also be used to help pinpoint breeding areas.
The PCT range of lures contains non-toxic attractants that are ideal for placement in traps. These traps may be sticky glueboards treated with PCT’s Invite Fruit Fly Lure or jar/cup style traps containing PCT’s Invite Liquid Lure attractant. In most cases, traps need to be placed in areas of high fly activity, such as under a bar. It is important for your clients not to disturb these traps and for them to follow any instructions you may give them with regard to checking traps or replacing/refilling them.
PCT is an Australian-owned company offering a wide range of high quality Australian-made products for professional pest managers, which are available from your local Agserv branch.
Richard Murray, Manager – Research & Development, PCT International
