Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #188272
Title: COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF SIX STABLE FLY (DIPTERA: MUSCIDAE) TRAPS

Author
item TAYLOR, DAVID
item BERKEBILE, DENNIS

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2006
Publication Date: 8/1/2006
Citation: Taylor, D.B., Berkebile, D.R. 2006. Comparative efficiency of six stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) traps. Journal of Economic Entomology. 99(4): 1415-1419. Available: http://docserver.esa.catchword.org/deliver/cw/pdf/esa/freepdfs/00220493/v99n4s49.pdf

Interpretive Summary: Six different traps for sampling and locally controlling stable flies were compared. No-Zap traps produced by Farnam Companies, Inc. collected almost twice as many flies as the standard Olson and Broce traps. The Olson and Broce traps are constructed of a specific type of fiberglass referred to as Alsynite. Alsynite traps have been the standards for stable fly research and control for over 30 years. However, the reason stable flies are attracted to Alsynite remains unclear. The No-Zap trap, which is not made of Alsynite offers a commericial alternative for stable fly research and control. In addition, the finding of a second material equally or more attractive to stable flies than Alsynite may help us determine the mechanism of attraction and develop better stable fly traps.

Technical Abstract: Five sticky traps and the Nzi trap were compared to determine their trapping efficiency and biases for stable flies. The two configurations of the No-Zap trap were most efficient for trapping stable flies while the EZ trap was least efficient. The two Alsynite traps, Broce and Olson, were intermediate to the No-Zap and EZ traps. The sticky traps appeared to have the same trapping biases. All of the traps collected a ratio of approximately 2 males for each female. The blood fed and ovarian development statuses were similar among the sticky traps. The Nzi trap collected a slightly older component of the stable fly population, but was much less efficient than the sticky traps. The effectiveness of the No-Zap trap indicates that plastics other than Alsynite are attractive to stable flies.