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‘Christchurch Has Most Flies’

Christchurch had more files than any other city he had seen in New Zealand, and more than any place he had seen in the Far East, said Mr J. B. Snoad. the Health Department’s senior district inspector of health, yesterday. Mr Snoad said he had been to most parts of New Zealand and had seen a lot of the Far East. He was a health inspector in Shanghai for 10 years. Mr Snoad blames the city’s garden-lovers—which means practically every householder in garden-conscious Christchurch. Christchurch people, he said, were unwittingly providing flies with ideal breeding places by throwing vegetable scraps. garden refuse, and grass clippings on to heaps without covering them with soil. “Flies breed in decomposing organic material,” said Mr Snoad, “and garden rubbish heaps are the main source of flies here. This material must be composted properly. It is essential to cover it with a layer of soil so that the heat of decomposition can

build up to the point where fly larvae are killed. If it is covered the temperature can reach 160 degrees to 180 degrees. and the larvae die. "People think they are doing a good mulching job by spreading grass clippings thickly on the garden. The clippings should be either dug in or spread so thinly that they dry.” Mr Snoad's remedy for those who find composting difficult is to dig a hole instead. He says the refuse should be tipped in and covered with soil to prevent the flies getting at it.

Dr. R. A. Harrison. Lincoln College’s authority on flies, agrees. “Normally,” he said, "the housefly can outbreed most of its predators, especially in a place like Christchurch which has a habit of throwing its grass clippings on the garden heap. Rotting grass clippings are probably the best breeding place there is." Dr. Harrison said the predatory beetle, which a correspondent of "The Press" claimed was so successful in keeping flies down in Fiji, was probably the same one which had been introduced to Samoa. “It is the larvae of the beetle which goes for the maggot of the housefly." he said. "It is not likely to be successful here because our climate is not tropical enough. It has been tried at Nelson with specimens collected in Samoa, and they are probably still looking at it in Nelson.” Dr. Harrison believes flics can be controlled by attention to hygiene particularly garden hygiene—in conjunction with modern fly-sprays. Mr Snoad advises spraying a room after al! food has been put away and the dishes washed, then closing the room for 15 minutes. He says the flies should be swept up and burned, because sometimes a few revive. Best spraying results are achieved when the flies are on the wing.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19640118.2.170

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 17

Word Count
459

‘Christchurch Has Most Flies’ Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 17

‘Christchurch Has Most Flies’ Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 17

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