Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-03-26
SOLUTION OF THE FLY PROBLEM
Successful Experiments That should BE
of Interest TO Health Officers
and Sanitarians

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into winged insects is n possible solution
of the fly problem and one that should
interest health officers, sanitarians and
others who might make use of It on man
ure heaps where this common pest breeds.
The department of agriculturc's scientists
in their preliminary experiments with
such n trap have succeeded In destroying
from 70 to 30 per cent. of the maggots
In a pile Of manure. This method of at
tack differs from those which have been
generally used. Fly ~poisons have been
made to tempt the appetite OF the adult
fly, or hy-tight reccptacles have been
used to keep the adult female from laying
her eggs IN manure. The newer method
is based on the knowledge of certain hab-
its Of the undeveloped fly maggot
The maggots Of the typhoid fly. II has
been discovered, have n habit Of migrat-
ing from their breeding places into drier
portions Of the manure heap. This seems
n distinct move on their part to permit
the adult fy to issue from the refuse in
the easiest and quickest manner. The eff
fciency of the new trap Is based on the
regularity of this deep-seated habit
DESCRIPTION OF A MAGGOT TRAP.
A large galva nlzed iron pan, measuring
FIVE by three feet. with sides four inches
high. was made. In this stood a contain
or on legs eight inches high. The contain
er measured four by two by two feet.
The sides and bottom were of heavy
wire, one-duarter inch mesh. supported
by a light wooden framework. Twelve
cubic feet OF MANURE well infested with
eggs and larvae were placed In this con-
Italner and sprinkled with water. Water
was also poured into the pan below to
the depth of about one inch. Surrounding
and covering both pan and container was
a fly-tight Enclosure made of a large age,
six by six by six feet. This prevented
further infestation of the manure and an
arrangement Of traps at the top of the
cage made it possible to capture and
keep a record of any flies that might
emerge. At the time for the emergence
of flies the sides of the cage were dark
ened with black cloth in order to drive
the flies into the traps at the top. Each
day the maRgots were collected from the
pan and counted and each day the man
urc in the container was sprinkled
thoroughly with water and the pan was
washed out and again partly filled with
water to drown the larvae which fell
into il.
~. : Nv VI Nv htHhI Nv .
entomologists showed that from 9S to 99
per cent. Of all the maggots in the man
ure pile were destroyed, If the manure was
kept moist. From comparatively dry
manure about 10 per cent. were destroyed.
> These experiments, as yet. have been
. tried only on a comparatively small scale.
: The question Immediately arises whether
the trap which appear RS so successful on n
small scale can be adapted to the handling
> of manure in a practical way on a large
scale. Every consideration points to the
probability that It can and that It will
/ afford IAN additional weapon OF great
u value" However, the final verdict as to
i the value Of the maggot trap must wal,
> upon the solution of certain practical prob.
g lens. To point out some of these here
: Is to suggest lines for further investiga'
s ton.
0. In the first place, there must be de-
termined what form, size. and construc.
ton of trap will give the best results
d The answer to this will depend largely or
Il the particular conditions obtaining at any
given stable. such as the amount of man
g ure produced daily, the arrangements fol-
drainage, etc. 1t will also depend on tn,
Y answer to the following problems:
e C9. How deeply may manure be heapeC
d in a trap without interfering with thu
migration? 1t will probably be founC
that the depth will make little difference
provided that the manure Is kept moist
and provided that avenues of escape arr
n afforded at the sides as well as at tn,
bottom.
(3). How long must manure be kept il
a maggot trap before 1t is entirely fire.
from larvae? This is a very importan
rt,aottaa f-1,. - ,aa,i. n,a-l,a;-t ~,
one will find scant suggestion as to tn
answer in the literature on the life his
tory and habits. The housefly breeds pre-
ferably in horse manure but it has neve
been determined Just how long a give
lot OF manure continues to he an attrac
ID tive place for egg laying, nor hoy
d. long a period fly larvae will continue t
or appear In It. IT Is obvious that the mag
,e got trap would not be practical II the in
festation Of the manure We're daily re
90 rewed Cor a long tine. Urde ordinar
N conditions the drying of the surface of
heap Of manure probably limits the perio
OF egg laying 10 the first day or two c
exposure. But in a Ina ggot trap the man
ure must he kept wet in order to insur
the greatest amount of migration. Woul
not such a moist surface be daily rein
Tested and maggots continue to appear l
the manure as long as any fermentatio
were In progress? As a mater of fac
the period OF infestation appears to b
20 rather short, and even under the mos
80 favorable conditions maggots will rarel
' be found in a given lot Of manure afte
vi 10 or 70 lays exposure. In support {
10 this claim some experimental data ma
w. be given here.
ss %. The disposal OF the maggots Is al
IS. other practical consideration. If the la
vac were allowed to drop to the Rroun
they would hurrow into 1t 10 pupate ther
ne and nothing would be gained. 1t would |
as necessary to have some sort of vesse
This should have vertical sides and col
tain an inch or more of a weak disinfec
ant or OF water covered with a film {
Kerosene oil. II such a basin We're COZ
nected with a sewer or cesSpool the ma
gots collecting in Il could be flushed OF
each week without the necessity of hand
70 ing them in any way and without an
he offensive decomposition.
he That the maggot trap possesses certai
RS adva ntages Is obvious and ought to lea
tn to many attempts to develop 1t alon
II, practical lines. ~Cheapncss would be or
H. OF it's strong points. Practically the on
cost would be the initial one for the col
,r- struction of the trap and OF a basin {
nv. receptacle for catching and disposing
lie, the maggots. Very little additional tin
6a or labor would he required in operatir