When cattle are fighting flies in the summer, they gather in tight bunches, leading them to eat less while experiencing more stress and discomfort. Beef producers have limited options for controlling the flies that pester their cattle. Moreover, existing insecticides are losing their effectiveness as insects develop resistance to repeated use.
Dave Boxler, a Nebraska Extension entomologist at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, has worked with a company for 15 years to develop a new insecticide that is organic and doesn’t affect honeybees or bumblebees. The…