Comparative efficiency of six stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) traps

Abstract

Five adhesive traps and the Nzi cloth-target trap were compared to determine their trapping efficiency and biases for stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae). Two configurations of the BiteFree prototype trap, constructed of polyethylene terephthalate, were most efficient for trapping stable flies, whereas the EZ trap was least efficient. The two Alsynite traps, Broce and Olson, were intermediate to the BiteFree prototype and EZ traps. All adhesive traps collected a ratio of approximately two males for each female. Approximately 50% of the flies collected on the adhesive traps, both male and female, were blood fed, and 20% were vitellogenic. The Nzi trap collected an older component of the stable fly population, 81% blood fed and 62% vitellogenic, but it was much less efficient than the adhesive traps. The effectiveness of the BiteFree prototype trap indicates that materials other than Alsynite are attractive to stable flies.