Efficacy of KnightStick traps and sticky wraps for attraction and capture of stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans)

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, is known as a noxious pest of livestock, particularly cattle, in many countries of the world. However, this blood-feeding fly can also pestiferous around pets and companion animals maintained outdoors. Two groups of animals, dogs and horses, are major hosts for stable flies. Traps have been used for monitoring stable flies for a number of years but a new trap has recently become available on the market. The new trap, the KnightStick (BugJammer, Inc., Pennington, NJ, USA), attracts stable flies and captures them on a sticky surface, much like the perennial standard Olson Sticky Fly Trap (Olson Products, Medina, Ohio, USA). The Olson trap has a clear plastic sticky sleeve that fits over the surface of the fiberglass trap and does not interfere with the attractive wavelengths produced by the sunlight reflected from the fiberglass surface. The KnightStick has an adhesive-coated foam sleeve which reflects light in wavelengths attractive to the stable fly, but seems to eliminate reflection from the surface of the trap. Both of these traps will attract and capture house flies, Musca domestica, so these data will also be presented. When compared together, the BugJammer traps captured almost 3 times as many stable flies and essentially the same number of house flies as the Olson trap. When the KnightStick foam sticky sleeve is placed over the Olson fiberglass trap, it captures 3 times and 2 times as many stable flies and house flies, respectively, as the Olson clear sticky sleeve on the Olson fiberglass trap. Although both traps are pesticide-free, the KnightStick captures more flies and should provide a higher degree of comfort for the pet or companion animal. The KnightStick trap is merely placed on the ground and can be easily moved to desired sites. The Olson trap is placed on a stake in the ground and moving it to another site requires moving the stake as well.