Pesky pests: Thousands of flies on the floor next to a shop in Lorong Bagan Tambun in Simpang Ampat. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
NIBONG TEBAL: An infestation of millions of houseflies has been tormenting folks in Simpang Ampat on mainland Penang.
Nearly all shopkeepers and food sellers here are armed with fly swatters while sheets of flypaper are placed in every shop and market.
Every morning, people sweep up heaps of dead flies that had presumably reached the end of their month-long lifespan on corridors and staircases.
The flies, said entomologist Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid, were coming from open-system poultry farms nearby.
“The cool days of gloomy skies with light rain have created perfect conditions for an explosion of the fly population.
“Chicken manure left exposed is a prime breeding site. The amount of moisture in the exposed manure is higher than during the dry days, increasing the chances of maggots and pupae maturing into adult flies,” explained Dr Abdul Hafiz, a pest expert at Universiti Sains Malaysia and president of Entomological Society of Malaysia.
A check on Google Earth Pro showed that there are numerous poultry farms within a radius of 1km from Simpang Ampat, especially Taman Bagan Tambun. One farm is less than 300m away.
Over the past decade, rapid development on mainland Penang has transformed small farming villages into urban centres and residential estates. The farms, however, have been there for decades.
Although flies are scientifically proven to carry more than 400 types of germs, Dr Abdul Hafiz pointed out “it depends on where the flies had been before they land on our food”.
“If they had landed on a rotting carcass earlier, then they would carry harmful bacteria,” he said.
He urged Simpang Ampat residents to keep food well covered.
“One fly landing on your food will not create a bacterial count high enough to make you sick. Even so, keep your food covered,” he said, adding that the elderly and people with low immunity should be extra cautious.
A coffee shop in Taman Bagan Tambun has put up signs warning customers of flies.
Many residents interviewed said this was their worst fly infestation in living memory.
“The flies would come thrice yearly, but this is the worst in the past 10 years at least.
“It started about a week ago and the entire neighbourhood is affected,” said fruit seller Loo Seng Huat, 40, at the Tambun Indah wet market.
Flies could also be seen on vegetables and products sold by Hng Phaik Yan, 45, at the market.
“Customers shy away from my vegetables because they are covered in flies,” she lamented.
“There’s a drastic drop in business, not just because people are buying less, but nearby residents avoid cooking because the flies swarm their kitchens.”
Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik said farmers should upgrade to a closed farming system that prevents flies from breeding.
Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) has issued eight compounds and four notices to a poultry farm since 2021.
“The results of our checks showed that the farm did not comply with licensing requirements,” MBSP said.
