River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-07-25
DEAD FLIES ARE
ONLY GOOD FLIES
SWatting in Summer May Prevent
Abundant Reproduction Be-
fore Cold Weather.
IS vERITADLE germ HUM
Screening and Use of Papers, Poisons
and Traps Are Good Only as Tenn
porary Expedients-Use of
FormaIin Is Favored.

Every fly that this year contamin-
AteS and destroys food or spreads ill
ness is an enemy Of America in even
greater degree than in the past. AS
a fly hunter, abiding to the tendency
of the insect to spread disease. ex-
pressed it recently, the fly is a verit-
able "Germ-Hun. Every fly de-
stroyed means a contribution, be it
ever so slight, to the cause of Amer
lea efficient.
The best time to swat the fly, of
course, is early in the breeding season,
before the young ones have become
grandparents. Flies killed in the
spring prevent hOrdes later on. But
it is a never-ending battle, and in
late July and early August vigilance
becomes more than ever necessary.
Work to kill flies even at this time
may prevent abundant reproduction
before cold weather. In fact, there is
no closed season in hunting flies. A
swat in any day of the year is a
meritorious swat, and even fly buzz
ing around a Window-pane in midwin-
ter should be regarded as legitimate
prey.
Controlling the Fly.
Careful screening of windows and
doors during the summer months does
not decrease the number Of flies, but
at least it lessons the danger of con-
tamination of food. This applies not
only to homes, but with equal force
to stores, restaurants, bakeries, dali
ries, and every other place where food
is handled. Use of sticky fly papers
to destroy flies that have gained ac-
cess to houses also is Well-khOWn, and
fy-poisOn preparations are common.
/ Many of the commercial fly poisons
contain arsenic, and their use in the
household is attended by considerable
danger, especially to children. This
danger, according to specialists of the
United States department Of agricul-
ture, is lessened by the use Of weak
solution Of formalin. An effective fly
poison is made by adding three tea
spoonfuls of the commercial formalin
to a pint of milk or water Sweetened
with a little brown sugar.
FlytrapS may be used to advantage.
Their use has been advocated not only
because of immediate results, but be-
cause of the chances that the flies may
be caught before they lay their first
batch of eggs, thus reducing the num-
bers of future generations. Many
types of fly traps are on the market,
and as a rule the larger ones are eff
fective. The United States department
of agriculture on request will send
directions for making .fytraps, not only
for household use, but for catching
flies and destroying eggs around sta
bles and other breeding places.
Preventive Measures.
Fly papers, poisons and traps at
best are only temporary expedients.
The most logical method Of abating
the fly nuisance is the elimination or
treatment Of all breeding places. 1t
would appear, specialists say, from
what is known of the life history and
habits of the common house fly that
1t is perfectly feasible for cities and
towns to reduce the numbers of these
annoying and dangerous insects so
greatly as to render them of compara-
lively slight account. Following are
some recommendations of entomolo-