NEWBERRY COUNTY — Seemingly every month of the year is filled with obscure holidays and bizarre observances. June is no exception containing such oddities as Hug Your Cat Day and World Juggler’s Day as well as the entire month being dedicated to accordion awareness.
Additionally June is Fight the Filthy Fly Month which was instituted to promote awareness of the potential dangers of the common house fly as well as provide tips on how to rid your dwelling of their nuisance.
While the species of fly commonly referred to as the house fly does not bite, their presence can pose a threat more serious than annoyance according to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“The most important damage related with this insect is … indirect damage produced by the potential transmission of pathogens,” reads the UF profile of the fly.
These pathogenic organisms are picked up by flies incidentally when they come into contact with garbage, sewage and other filth and can potentially be transported to uncooked food then eaten by humans.
While there are many types of traps and insecticides to help reduce the habitation of flies in the home, the best remedy is good old fashioned cleanliness.
UF recommends that food and materials on which the flies can lay eggs be removed, destroyed as a breeding medium, or isolated from the egg-laying adult.
Also being that Newberry County is largely rural it important for farmers to not let wet manure sit around for too long as well as to not allow wet hay to pile up against buildings.
The house fly can complete their life cycle in as little as seven days and hay is one of their favorite breeding grounds prompting UF to discourage the use of hay as animal bedding.
Alternatives to hay bedding include wood chips, sand or even newspaper.
The month occurs in June to coincide with the observance of St. Leufredus’ Day — an eighth century monk who, according to legend, harbored a great annoyance for flies and would later become the patron saint against them.