Evaluation of Cluster Buster Fly Traps in a Large Commercial Establishment

Abstract

It is common knowledge that flies, particularly house flies, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), upon entering a building may eventually be found in a window, presumably trying to get outside. In addition to the entry of the occasional fly, flies in northern climes, e.g., blow flies (Calliphoridae), cluster flies (Pollenia rudis (F.); Polleniidae), and face flies (Musca autumnalis De Geer; Muscidae), will overwinter in large numbers in the attics of houses. When the weather begins to warm up,many of these flies find their way into the living areas of the house. They are attracted to the windows on the warmer, sunny side of the house (Pickens & Miller 1980, Burks et al. 1997, Cranshaw 2018). This can become a tremendous nuisance problem because a portion of the flies enter the living areas daily until all of the overwintering flies have left the attic. Having watched the behavior of flies in windows for many hours, it becomes obvious that flies fly up and down a glass pane with the anterior part of their head more or less touching the pane to some degree. This up and down flight continues until the fly, possibly fatigued, drops to the sill. Flies remain on the sill momentarily or for longer periods before resuming their up-and-down flight. Thus, it seems logical that windows would be good sites for placement of fly intervention devices, and many such devices are currently on the market. Most of these devices employ adhesive strips to capture flies, whereas others are pesticide-treated peelable stickers. In 2002 a different type of window trap, the Cluster Buster (Powder Trap Co., Collingwood, Ontario, Canada), appeared on the market. The trap fits flush against a windowpane and has a reservoir containing finely ground eggshells. At the top of the reservoir is a slit that is close and parallel to the windowpane once the trap has been mounted. This allows insects descending the windowpane to fall inside the trap. The finely powdered, chemically neutral eggshells act like quicksand and quickly engulf the struggling insect. The purpose of this study was to determine the types and numbers of insects captured by the Cluster Buster trap.