Evaluation of fly-electrocuting black light devices in caged-layer poultry facilities

Insect-electrocuting black light devices were evaluated for their effectiveness in killing flies in caged-layer poultry facilities. Concurrently, the effect of the addition of the attractant muscalure (Z-9-tricosene) to these devices on their fly-killing efficiency was evaluated. An average of over 29,000 flies were killed per device per week in Facility 1 and 7,000 flies per device per week in Facility 2 over the 8-wk evaluation period. The addition of muscalure (25 to 200 mg/device) increased the number of flies killed by the devices by as much as 76% but only one of the increases was statistically significant. Both the house fly, Musca domestica, and the garbage fly, Ophyra spp. were apparently attracted to muscalure, as the number of both fly species killed was consistently higher in devices containing the attractant than in devices without the attractant.