The Parish Council has received the following update from the Environmental Health Officer inspecting sheds at Loodal Farm and other locations around Whissendine. Note that the current increase of houseflies in the village cannot and should not be attributed to just one source.
Yesterday (21 June) we inspected both sheds (at Loodal Farm). We took >80 samples throughout the sheds in areas of moist litter (most suited to maggot development) and examined it. In the >80 samples and we had just 2 samples positive with a total of just 3 maggots (1 maggot in 1 sample and 2 in another) for the both sheds. The rest were clear. To find so few maggots across such a large area of manure is showing the larvicide has worked. The sheds have been effectively maggot free for a week and the infestation we saw there although intense only lasted a week with no flies or maggots in May (when people first noticed an increase).
We are getting more complaints especially along the Main Street and Stapleford Road. I inspected the pastures where cattle are grazing and there were large numbers of houseflies present and maggots in a number of cowpats. Given these grazed pastures back onto residential areas of Whissendine it is likely the Houseflies are coming from these pastures and affecting a wide area of the village. Given it is cattle grazing in open pastures we have no legal powers to control the flies from these fields.
We will monitor the free range units to ensure compliance but this year the evidence is showing other sources of Houseflies are responsible for the influxes people are experiencing at the moment. I will make further investigations to look for more sources.
Yours sincerely
Mr C Howat BSc (Hons) AMIOA l Senior Environmental Health Officer
Public Protection Section
Rutland County Council
Catmose
Oakham
Rutland
LE15 6HP