Part 1

Transcriber Note

Text emphasis denoted as Italics and =Bold=. Whole and fractional parts of numbers as 123-4/5.

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 734

FLYTRAPS AND THEIR OPERATION

BOTH THE HOUSE FLY AND BLOWFLIES may be captured in traps. The character of the bait used and the location of the traps greatly influence the kind of flies caught. This bulletin tells how to make the flytraps that have been found most effective, where to put them, and how to bait and care for them.

Flytrapping, of course, affords only partial relief. The logical method of fly control is to prevent the multiplication of these pests by proper disposal of or treatment of their breeding places. The reader is therefore referred to Farmers' Bulletin 1408 for further information on house-fly control, to Farmers' Bulletin 1097 for various methods of combating the stable fly, and to Farmers' Bulletin 857 for additional measures to be used against the screw-worm fly and certain other blowflies injurious to livestock.

Issued June 10, 1916 Washington, D. C. Revised March, 1930

ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 5 CENTS PER COPY

=FLYTRAPS AND THEIR OPERATION=

By F. C. Bishopp, Principal Entomologist in Charge, Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals, Bureau of Entomology

=CONTENTS=

Page

Uses and limitations of flytraps 1

Kinds of flies caught 1

Types of traps 2

Trapping the screw-worm fly 11

Baits for traps 11

Bait containers 13

Care and location of traps 14

Sticky fly papers 14

=USES AND LIMITATIONS OF FLYTRAPS=

FLYTRAPS have a distinct place in the control of the house fly and other noxious fly species. There is a general tendency, however, for those engaged in combating flies to put too much dependence on the flytrap as a method of abating the nuisance. It should be borne in mind that flytrapping is only supplementary to other methods of control, most notable of which is the prevention of breeding either by completely disposing of breeding places or by treating the breeding material with chemicals.

It may be said that there are two main ways in which flytraps are valuable: (1) By catching flies which come to clean premises from other places which are insanitary and (2) by capturing those flies which invariably escape in greater or less numbers the other means of destruction which may be practiced. Furthermore, the number of flies caught in traps serves as an index of the effectiveness of campaigns against breeding places.

Flytrapping should begin early in the spring if it is to be of greatest value. Although comparatively few flies are caught in the early spring, their destruction means the prevention of the development of myriads of flies by midsummer.

=KINDS OF FLIES CAUGHT=

The various species of flies which are commonly annoying about habitations or where foodstuffs are being prepared may be divided roughly into two classes: (1) Those which breed in animal matter, consisting mainly of the so called blowflies, including the screw-worm fly; and (2) those which breed in vegetable as well as in animal matter. In the latter group the house fly is by far the most important. The stable fly is strictly a vegetable breeder, as are also certain other species which occasionally come into houses and in rare cases may contaminate foodstuffs. The stable fly, which breeds in horse manure or decaying vegetable matter, and the horn fly, which breeds in cow manure, are blood-sucking species, and can be caught in ordinary flytraps in comparatively small numbers only. The kind of flies caught depends to a considerable extent on the material used for bait. In general, the house fly and other species which breed in vegetable matter are attracted to vegetable substances, while the blowflies will come most readily to animal matter. This rule, of course, is not absolute, as flies are less restricted in feeding than in breeding habits, and, as is well known, the house fly is attracted to a greater or less extent to any moist material, especially if it has an odor.

Cochliomyia macellaria Fab.

Musca domestica L.