Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture (1998) 38, 125-130

M.C. Morris, L. Morrison, M.A. Joyce and B. Rabel (1998)
Trapping sheep blowflies with lures based on bacterial cultures
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 38 (2), 125-130
Abstract: Baits of Proteus mirabilis cultured in a commercial medium or in a gut mucus mixture were tested in New Zealand sheep pasture for their ability to trap sheep strike flies. Liver–sodium sulfide baits were used for comparison. At the start of the flystrike season, medium cultures were as effective as liver–sodium sulfide baits in trapping flies. As the season progressed, the liver–sodium sulfide mixture trapped a significantly higher number of Lucilia cuprina and Calliphora stygia than medium cultures, though they trapped significantly fewer Chrysomya rufifacies.
In one case the medium culture trapped a significantly higher proportion of gravid L. cuprina than the liver–sodium sulfide mixture. Adding dimethyl sulfoxide to the medium culture significantly reduced its efficacy.
The gut mucus culture was significantly less effective than the liver–sodium sulfide bait in trapping gravid L. cuprina, and significantly more effective in trapping Chrysomya rufifacies. This is the first published record of sheep strike flies being attracted by bacterial odours in the field.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps
control - general

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Lucilia cuprina		New Zealand
	Calliphora stygia		New Zealand
	Chrysomya rufifacies		New Zealand