Real-time updates on blowfly risk – produced via an ongoing collaboration between Elanco and NADIS – now show the risk level as ‘medium’ across most of the country, with only a couple of areas downgraded to ‘low’.

Blowfly strike still remains a very real threat however; temperatures remain high and many preventative medicines applied in the summer will no longer be protecting the animals. Reports of blowfly cases continue to be added to the Elanco Blowfly Strike Tracker from across the country.

Richard Wall, Professor of Zoology (Ectoparasite Specialist) and compiler of the Blowfly Risk Alerts, said: “The warm and wet autumn is keeping the strike risk higher than this time last year. Blowflies need temperatures of above 12°C to be able to lay eggs, so while the current weather persists, the threat from strike will remain real.

“Farmers therefore need to maintain vigilance, particularly since most treatments applied in summer will not still be protecting animals at this stage of the season.”

Regional alert breakdown
NW Scotland: Low
E Scotland: Low
NE England: Medium
E Anglia: Medium
The Midlands: Medium
S England: Medium
SW Scotland: Medium
NW England: Low
N Wales: Low
SW England: Medium
S Wales: Medium
N Ireland: Medium

NADIS Map key
Low risk: No significant risk
Medium risk: 1 in 2,500 animals might be struck
High risk: 1 in 500 animals might be struck
Severe risk: 1 in 100 animals might be struck