Passive baited sequential filth fly trap

Authors: Aldridge, Robert; Gibson, Seth; SNELLING, MELISSA - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District; GUTIEREZ, ARTURO - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District; WHITE, GREGORY - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District; Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2015
Publication Date: 9/1/2015
Citation: Aldridge, R.L., Britch, S.C., Snelling, M., Gutierez, A., White, G., Linthicum, K. 2015. Passive baited sequential filth fly trap. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 31(3):278-282. doi: 10.2987/moco-31-03-278-282.1.

Interpretive Summary: To control nuisance flies, such as house flies we must determine their population numbers and when they are active. Historically, fly traps have never been automated to record hourly populations of nuisance flies. This operational note describes a process to convert commercially available equipment to an automated trap to determine the precise times of greatest activity. Our trap was able to capture fly populations over distinct time intervals and collect flies just as efficiently as standard non-automated traps.

Technical Abstract: Filth fly control measures may be optimized with a better understanding of fly population dynamics measured throughout the day. We describe the modification of a commercial motorized sequential mosquito trap to accept liquid odorous bait and leverage a classic inverted cone design to passively confine flies in eight modified collection bottles corresponding to eight intervals. Efficacy trials in a hot-arid desert environment indicate no significant difference (P = 0.896) between the modified sequential trap and a Rid-max® fly trap.