SOLAR-POWERED ELECTROCUTING TRAP FOR CONTROLLING HOUSE-FLIES AND STABLE FLIES (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE)

A portable trap was constructed that was visually attractive to house flies, Musca domestica L., and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), outdoors. The trap was made of a white and yellow pyramid placed on t op of a white vertical base that had large cutouts in each side. Attra cted flies were killed by means of solar-powered electrocuting grids. Three traps killed an average of 1,360 house flies and 1,190 stable fl ies per day at a manure dump and were effective in attracting flies un der both cool (<23-degrees-C) and warm (>30-degrees-C) temperatures. B oth species of flies were most attracted to the eastern side of the tr ap, but house flies preferred yellow in cool mornings and white in war m afternoons. When air temperatures were >30-degrees-C, both house fli es and stable flies went into the shaded base of the trap or into tunn els. Most house flies were killed on the pyramidal top of the trap, wh ereas most stable flies were killed on the vertical base. Opaque fiber glass tunnels with central electrocuting grids were simpler and cheape r, although less effective, for stable flies.