Delta Traps with Pheromone Pellet Baits to Lure House Flies in Poultry Houses

The field efficacy of pheromone-food bait pellets to lure house flies was evaluated using delta traps in poultry houses. Different pellet baits with fish meal alone (FM), fish meal+(Z)-9-tricosene (FMP), and fish meal+(Z)-9-tricosene+butylated hydroxyl toluene (FMPB) were prepared and evaluated in a poultry house using delta traps to lure house flies. Out of the 30611 flies trapped, a maximum of 30.62% (9374 flies) were attracted to delta traps baited with FMPB pellets followed by 29.97% (9175 flies) with FMP pellets, 19.11% (5850 flies) with FM pellets, and 20.29% (6212 flies) in control without bait. Average number of flies trapped/trap/day (FTD) with FM, FMP, FMPB pellets and control were 119.38, 187.24, 191.30 and 126.77, respectively and averages of flies trapped/trap/week (FTW) respectively were 835.71, 1310.71, 1339.14 and 887.42. Fly attraction towards different pellet baits was statistically significant (ꭓ² value = 1847.81** p<0.01^HS). Overall trap catches were dominated by female flies irrespective of baits (17469 females, 57.00% vs. 13142 males, 42.93%). Male: female sex ratio with FM, FMP, FMPB and control was 5:7, 4:5, 4:5 and 5:8, respectively (ꭓ² value = 1330.39** p<0.01^HS for male flies and 668.75** (p<0.01)^HS for female flies). Results revealed that pheromone-food lure- based pellet baits were effective house fly attractants in delta traps.