Design and use of sticky tra ps for controlling the stable fly Stomoxys Calcitra ns in the Bogota plateau, Colombia

Abstract

Stomoxys calcitrans, haematophagous ectoparasite of livestock with prominent mouthparts and location in the extremities of animals, has wide distribution in different climatic regions of the country bringing high economic impact due to blood loss and changes in the patterns of behavior of the animals for the annoyance. Livestock owners base control on direct insecticide application but this is ineffective for the robustness and evasion capacity of the fly. Searching for control alternatives not based in the use of pesticides, an experiment was conducted in the Bogota plateau to evaluate various designs and colors for pyramidal traps with sticky surfaces for control of the stable fly in a preliminary work to reach a commercial model of trap. Two types of trap (with and without hole) and three colors of covers were evaluated in three paddocks with pasturing cattle. In each location, three replicates were used reaching 18 traps in each experimental site in each date evaluated. The total for each species of arthropod trapped in each type of trap was registered. It was shown that pyramidal traps are an important tool for stable fly control under pasturing conditions. The white traps captured up to 6.000 flies per trap a week, followed by the blue traps (4.000 flies/week/trap). The yellow huts captured a far lower number of flies. There were no differences in the capture capacity according the model of trap