Development of a Simple Method to Assess the Number of Lucilia cuprina Caught in Lucitrap(R) Fly Traps

While most interest in flytraps has centred on their use as an alternate and residue-free method to assist with fly-strike management, little attention has been given to their potential role as an on-farm indicator of changes in fly populations over time. Monitor flytraps can be used to provide an indicator of both the total fly population and relative changes during a fly season. A farmer can use this as a tool to detect increases in the fly population on their farm and therefore to identify periods when the risk of flystrike may be increasing or higher than average. For it to be an effective tool for use by primary producers however, determination of the number of flies trapped must be rapid. Manually counting flies is tedious and time-consuming, severely restricting the use of the flytrap as a risk management tool. This paper outlines a method whereby fly catch data can be assessed quickly using either a volume or weight measure to provide an indication of the minimum current fly population in the area of the trap. Over time trap records can indicate relative changes in the fly population, and hence changes in fly-strike risk.