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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #356371
Research Project: Management of Filth Flies

Location: Mosquito and Fly Research

Title: Turning ultraviolet light traps on and off increases their attraction to house flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

Author
item Hogsette, Jerome - Jerry

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2018
Publication Date: 2/17/2019
Citation: Hogsette, Jr, J.A. 2019. Turning ultraviolet light traps on and off increases their attraction to house flies (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of Insect Science. 19(1):1-3. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iey126.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iey126

Interpretive Summary: House fly management indoors has been challenging. Ultraviolet (UV) light traps are used but little has been done to increase trap attraction. Many house flies were attracted to a UV light trap turned on in a darkened poultry house, and a study was designed to determine if such illumination events could increase trap attraction. Three UV light trap pairs were used for 24-hour tests. One pair was on constantly (no illumination event), a second pair was on for 1 hour then turned off the next hour and repeat (1 illumination event every 2 hrs), and a third pair had one trap on for one hour and as it turned off the second trap came on (1 illumination event every hr). The constantly illuminated pair caught the most flies, but the pair with 1 illumination event every hour caught just 27% fewer flies. Illumination events greatly increased the efficacy of a single trap.

Technical Abstract: House fly management indoors has been challenging. Ultraviolet (UV) light traps are used but little has been done to increase trap attraction. Many house flies were attracted to a UV light trap turned on in a darkened poultry house, and a study was designed to determine if such illumination events could increase trap attraction. Three UV light trap pairs were used. One pair was on constantly (no illumination event), a second pair was on for 1 hour then turned off the next hour and repeat (1 illumination event every 2 hrs), and a third pair had one trap on for one hour and as it turned off the second trap came on (1 illumination event every hr). The constantly illuminated pair caught the most flies, but the pair with 1 illumination event every hour caught just 27% fewer flies. Illumination events greatly increased the efficacy of a single trap.