hK
CIRCULAR No. 32 JUNE, 1915
ALABAMA
Agricultural Experiment Station
OF THE
Alabama Polytechnic Institute
AUBURN
Fly Baits
BY
J. E. BUCK
Assistant Entomologist
Montgomery, Ala.
The Paragon Press.
1915
COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT
STATION.
HoNy. R. F. KOLB .....................................M ontgom ery
HON. J. A. ROGERS..........Gainesville
STATION STAFF.
C. C. THACH, President of the College.
J. F. DUGGAR, Director of Experiment Station and Extension.
AGRICULTURE:
J. F. Duggar, Agriculturist.
E. F. Cauthen,.Associate.
M. J. Funchess, Associate.
J. T. Williamson, Field Agent.
D. J. Burleson, Assistant.
0. H. Sellers, Assistant.
H. B. Tisdale, Assistant.
VETERINARY SCIENCE:
C. A. Cary, Veterinarian.
H. C. Wilson, Hog'Cholera Ex-
pert.*
L. F. Pritchett, Assistant.,..
CHEMISTRY:
J. T. Anderson. Chemist, Soils
and Crops.
C. L. Hare, Physiological
Chemist.
S. Adler, Assistant.
JUNIOR AND HOME ECONOMICS
EXTENSION:
L. N. Duncan, Superintend-
ent.*
Miss Madge J. Reese, Assist-
ant.*
J. C. Ford, Assistant.*
I. B. Kerlin, Assistant.
Nellie M. Tappan, Home Econ-
omics. 
**
BOTANY:
J. S. Caldwell, Botanist.
A. B. Massey, Assistant.
PLANT PATHOLOGY:
F. A. Wolf, Pathologist.
HORTICULTURE:
Earnest Walker, Horticul-
turist
J. C. C. Price, Associate.
G. V. Stelzenmuller, Field
A gent.
ENTOMOLOGY:
W. E. Hinds. Entomologist.
F. L. Thomas, Assistant.
E. A. Vaughan, Field Asst.
ANIMAL INDUSTRY:
G. S. Templeton, Animal
Husbandman.
E. S. Girton, Assistant.
N. A. Negley, Assistant.*
E. Gibbens, Assistant.
*In cooperation with United. States Department of Agriculture.
**In cooperation with Alabama Girl's Technical Institute.
FLY BAITS.
By J. E. Buck, AssistantEntomologist.*
Fly traps of various types have 
come into use in recent years
and have been used quite extensively in 
campaigns against the
house fly (Musca domestica.) No 
very extensive efforts have
been made to determine the most attractive baits 
to use. The
work of Dr. A. W. Morrill of the Arizona 
Experiment Station
has, perhaps, been the most extensive 
cffort made along this
line. Where flies are numerous, almost 
anything which they
ordinarily visit will attract them, but 
with many other attrac-
tions about it is certainly desirable to have the 
most attractive
bait possible for use in traps.
The writer conducted over fifty tests during 
the summer
and fall of 1914 about the barns of the Alabama 
Experiment
Station for the purpose of determining the relative 
attractivness
of a number of fly baits.
METHOD OF MAKING TESTS.
Small, oval, wire traps of exactly the same 
size and construc-
tion were used in making these tests. The bait pan to each
trap held about one-eighth of a pint. The 
tests were made
in series consisting of from one to five tests. 
Each trap was
numbered and a certain bait assigned to each 
trap by number.
This bait was used in its own trap for as 
many tests as were
included in a series. From four to 
eight traps and as many
baits were used at one time, the same number 
being used through-
out a given series. Where liquid was called 
for, a little less than
one-eighth of a pint was used, in most cases; 
and, in each in-
stance, quantities of bait as nearly equal as possible 
were put
in contest. After all pans were properly 
baited, each was
placed under its own trap.
The traps were exposed in a small circle, being 
placed from
eight to twelve inches apart. The accompanying 
photograph
shows the traps set. The baits were exposed from two 
to five
* On leave of absence.
htours in a test and from two to t'ightttn hours in a series. After
the traps wt trt txpotsedt a dtfiniite time', the holes by which the
flies'' gincd( t'tli':ll( w ert' stoppted'(i tie trapjs placedi in a fumni-
gationl tant :iin( tilt flin's killed with carboni disulplhide. 'rie
flies were theni 'outiidt itnd tilt numbeitr attralctedi by tach bait
was recorded. 'lil total numbier of flies caugiht by all baits in
eachl ttst Nvx s d as5t aS: basis fotr estimlating the pter cetnt caught
byx eaih bait in tacih test.
'lie tgrandlt total of all flit's taught in all the tests of at series
was takten as a1 it~lis ton whichi to caiculate tilt petrcenltage of
thtt tttt.li numbelttr caugh'it its teach1 bait inl all tilt tests (If a series.
I llt te'sts, tilt b tit', wetre' lxpottstd 138 hlours. catching a total
of 1LOI I flies. Thisi' ltlakes anit avtratge of 753 pe'r houttr for
all traits. ttr ovetr 10 t pl Jr ihour fttr eachi trapi used. The numtber
caughlt, howevex tr, dep'endls on the numbeit(r of flies present. In
tin' first tt'st. tone of thetse' slmall trapts. hlditing about 
a chtart,
c'auhit oxvtr 17001 flies ill twtt htours. Pieits wer cr c hi more num-
('rolls thetn. howevett tr. thantt at ally thtir timllt during thet season.
' Twelvt strites tof tests wtrt' mlade. Slltttlllrv tales of two
of Itese arte gixvtn to illutstrate the mnttiod otf wotrk. Series 9
inludedti't soic( of tile bttst itaits of all prt'ceding tests anti eight
new trapts were utsed( ill ma~king tile tests. The regular use of
till traits was fotittt ttt :affect tile results slightly. In fact, the
action of t'heicitats tn tnt' tf tile trap paxns made' it repu)tlsive
to till flit's anti tctttstequttntilS uslss. Thte bits ill stries 9
(Set' Ttihie II) art' amng tilt v'ery best, conseque'ntxy the p)er-
36
centage results are rather close. The results 
of this series were
used as a check on all other tests. In 
series 5, (See Table I)
the variations in results are much 
more noticeable, as is the case
in very many of the other 
tests made.
The results in Table I. were obtained 
by using each trap in
four tests totalling twelve hours 
each; those in Table II. by
using each trap in five tests totalling 
eighteen hours each.
TABLE I. RESULTS OF TESTS IN SERIES 5.
KIND OF BAIT. * o ?
z E Q
Light bread,10 % grain alcohol, and sugar......... 1 1031 10.23
Light bread, 5%7 grain alcohol, and sugar............ 2 1809 17.95
Light bread, sweet milk containing 10%ograin
alcohol, and sugar ........................................ ...... 83 2468 24.45
Light bread, sweet milk containing 10% for-
maldehyde ............................................................. 4 I 571 5.66
Light bread, sweet milk containing 10% for-
maldehyde,. and sugar ..................................... 5 1154 11.55
Decayed banana, water, and a little sugar....6 1892I 18.82
Decayed banana 10% formaldehyde, and sugar 7 16521 16.40
TABLE II. RESULTS OF TESTS IN SERIES 9.
KIND OF BAIT.
Light bread, sweet milk containing 10%grain
alcohol, and sugar..........................................
Light bread, equal parts of sweet milk and
water containing 5% formaldehyde, and sugar
Light bread, buttermilk, and sugar cane syrup
Light bread, 5%7 grain alcohol, and sugar ......
Light bread, sweet milk containing 5% grain
alcohol, and sugar............................................
Light bread, butter milk containing 8% grain
alcohol, and sugar cane syrup ..........................
Light bread, butter milk containing 7% for-
maldehyde, and sugar cane syrup.......
Light bread, apple vinegar and sugar ..........
1 2377 18.78
2 2549 14.78
8 1281 7.42
4 2022 11.72
5 12167 12.55
6 12264 18.12
7 12844 16.43
8 17391 10.08
88
RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENTS.
Space will not permit giving the tables showing details of
the experiments, consequently only the more important results
can be given here. The following are the most important baits,
approximately in the order of their attractiveness. All of these
baits have been thoroughly tested in comparison with each other,
and with still others, and can be thoroughly relied upon for
good results.
First. Light bread, buttermilk (to which 7 per cent. commer-
cial formaldehyde (40 per cent.) has been added,) and a little
sugar or syrup-preferably syrup.
Second. Light bread, equal parts of sweet milk and water
to which has been added 5 per cent. commercial formaldehyde
(40 per cent.) and a little sugar.
Third. Light bread, sweet milk containing 10 per cent. grain
alcohol (95 per cent.) and a little sugar.
Fourth. Light bread, buttermilk to which has been added
3 per cent grain alcohol (95 per cent.) and a little sugar or
syrup-preferably syrup.
Fifth. Light bread, sweet milk containing 5 per cent. com-
mercial formaldehyde (40 per cent.) and a little sugar.
Sixth. Light bread, buttermilk, sugar or syrup, preferably
syrup. This bait, when left in bait pan several days, fresh
bait being added as needed, is very attractive. It is improved
by the fermentation.
Seventh. Light bread, 8 per cent. to 8 per cent. grain alcohol
(95 per cent.) and a little sugar.
Eighth. Light bread, fresh apple vinegar, and a little sugar.
Ninth. Light bread, 7 per cent. commercial formaldehyde
(40 per cent.) and a little sugar.
Tenth. Decayed banana. This makes fairly good bait alone,
but its value is considerably increased by adding a little water
and sugar, or 5 per cent formaldehyde and sugar.
Eleventh. Fresh yeast, light bread, water and a little sugar.
Twelfth. Fish scraps. This bait was tested once with three
other baits previously tested. Of the 1759 flies caught this bait
caught 13.24 per cent. decaying banana 19.72 per cent. butter-
89
milk with 3 per cent. grain alcohol added used on light bread,
with a little sugar added, caught 43.21 per cent. and sweet 
milk
containing 5 per cent. formaldehyde used on light bread with a
little sugar, caught 23.82 per cent. Fish scraps have been used
with splendid results about cities, and these figures show how
this bait compares with some of the best baits found in these
tests.
Light bread was found to be an excellent medium for flies
to crawl upon and fresh yeast light bread with a little water and
sugar, makes fairly good bait.
In using the liquid baits, the light bread is first put in the bait
pan; the liquid bait which should be kept made up in sufficient
quantity, and kept tightly closed, is poured on the bread, and
the sweetening is then added. For a bait pan holding about
one-eighth of a pint, two dessertspoonfuls of white sugar should
be used: slightly more syrup than sugar should be used. Syrup
gives better results with the buttermilk baits, sugar with other
baits.
Buttermilk should- be fresh when alcohol or formaldehyde
is, added. The sweet milk loses nothing in value by standing a
day or two before adding the alcohol or formaldehyde. Butter-
milk should have 7 or 8 per cent. of commercial formaldehyde
for best results; sweet milk 5 per cent.
Not over 4 per cent. grain alcohol (95 per cent.) should be
used in buttermilk. Ten per cent. grain alcohol was found
to give the best results in sweet milk. In water alone, not
less than 8 per cent. nor over 8 per cent. alcohol should be used.
Rusty pans should not be used for bait. Bait receptacles
should be made of glass or some substance not easily corroded,
as chemicals may act on tin or zinc and prove repulsive to the
flies.
There is some advantage in leaving the old baits in pans
several days, but baits should not be allowed to become too old
or dry. Plenty of fresh bait should be added regularly and all
old bait should be thoroughly cleaned out about once a week.
Sugar was found to be a very valuable addition to the baits,
in some cases increasing their attractiveness from 10 per cent.
to 20 per cent.