Gordy's Flytrap Fitting

If you have a fly problem around the house, farm or where animals are housed and would like to use an environmentaly friendly natural fly control method, the following may be a solution.

The Flytrap does not require pesticides, insecticides or pest control sprays in order to work.

You can give a plastic supermarket shopping bag or other container a second use by turning it into a fly catcher. Alternatively, you can turn paint pails into fly traps. Just about any container that can hold water can be used with the Flytrap Fitting!

The Flytrap Fitting is excellent for use around the farm to reduce flystrike on livestock. Plus, the flytraps can be easily relocated so you can keep them near your livestock.

In the height of summer, when used correctly, the flytraps can catch on average five flies per minute, which over a week equates to 15 litres, and the fly trap attracts flies from over a kilometer away.

PRINCIPLES ↑

The fitting is made from polycarbonate, UV protected for strength and durability and when used correctly will last for many years.

The large recess located in front of the entry point enables flies to enter the trap at 70mm from the window, providing more space in which flies are able to move away from the entry point.

The grill allows a greater volume of scent to exit and enables trapped flies walking on the window to investigate fresh air without locating the exit. The grill also enables air to flow and reduces the internal trap temperature if the trap is placed in direct sunlight.

When locating the trap, position the protruding blade so that it faces into the prevailing wind. The blade projects 20mm above the window and creates low pressure venturi effect that enables air to enter the flytrap. Air then exits the flytrap on the downwind side of the blade drawing the scent from the container.

When using a 10 litre paint pail or similar with a recessed lid, rain will replace water that is lost through evaporation. In low rainfall areas the evaporating water will need to be replenished manually.

INSTRUCTIONS ↑

One of the basic premises of the flytraps is simplicity of use. While not quite "set and forget," once a container is setup for a fitting, the process is as follows:

place bait/attractant in container,
place netting and weight over bait,
add water to fill container by one-third,
place fitting/lid on container,
set out in chosen place, and
check weekly.

Bait/Attractant

Suitable baits/attractants include:

fish offal
liver
squid
road kill
rabbit
possum
meat

Generally, these attractants used at 170 grams per litre of water will last approximately 7 days. After which the dead flies will become their own bait. If after 10 days, there is a cold period of three to four days, the trap may stop working, so empty and re-set the trap.
Please note: Do not use any bait that has been cooked.

Netting & Weight

These are used to keep the attractant below the water surface. See images which show 10mm wire netting, roughly fashioned into a bowl shape and placed inverted over the bait, and a small concete block which acts as a weight and retains the bait below the water level.

The weight can be anything non-organic that is heavy enough to keep netting covering the bait when water is added to the trap. Example weights might include, a small metal block, a small block of concrete, a stone, a broken paver or a broken house brick.

Setting the Trap

Step 1: place the bait into the flytrap container.

Step 2: place the netting over the bait.

Step 3: place a weight on top of the netting.

Step 4: Add water to fill the container to one third full. (ensure the bait is fully covered)

Step 5: place the flytrap fitting onto the container. Tthe flytrap is now ready to use.

Step 6: Finally, especially in high rainfall areas, in order to stop too much rain water entering the container, tape the ends of the fitting to the container.

Using a 20 Litre Plastic Container

Requirements

20 litre plastic container,
Screwdriver - large,
Marker Pen,
a straightedge,
Jig-saw or similar cutting device,
file
The Flytrap Fitting.

Place the container on its side.
Using the screwdriver, punch a hole in the center of the side of the container.
Using the puncture hole as a starting point, with the Jig-saw cut a 100mm hole in the centre of the side. The hole should be large enough to allow the centerpiece of the fitting to slip in.
Marking out the two sides, place the fitting into the hole.
With the marker pen draw part-way around two sides' of the flytrap fitting.
Remove the flytrap fitting.
Use the straightedge and marker pen to draw parallel lines across, approximately 140 - 150mm apart, to join part drawings from 5 above.
Using the straightedge to join sides, cut with the Jig-saw, or a suitably sharp box knife starting from the centre hole, cut-out along markings.
If necessary, use file to remove burrs caused by cutting the hole.
Place the fitting over the opening to ensure a comfortable fit.

The container is now ready for use.

Using a 10 Litre Pail

In high rainfall areas raise one side of the trap about 10 degrees to assist with water run-off.

Requirements

10 Litre Pail,
Marker Pen,
Tin Snips (or similar cutting device),
Gordys Flytrap Fitting.

Lid with area marked for cutting outUsing the Marker Pen - mark out an area of approximately 60% of the lid, ensuring you leave a 25mm border from lip of the lid. Then use Tin Snips to cut out the marked area.
Flytrap Fitting inserted into area cut out. Place Gordys Flytrap Fitting into cutting in the lid to ensure fit.

The container is now ready to use.

Using a Plastic Shopping Bag

Requirements

Large Plastic Shopping Bag,
Roll of Nylon String,
Gordys Flytrap Fitting.

loop the rope thorough the center of the flytrap fitting. Then loop the string through center of the fitting and tie off.
Insert the bait into the plastic bag.
Insert the Flytrap Fitting into the plastic bag.
Taking each handle of the bag, tie a knot which will create a closure large enough to enable the fitting to be inserted.
Pulling the flytrap fitting into place. Then reach into the bag and pull the fitting upward with the venturi blade and text facing up.
Fill the trap with water to one fifth full.
Tie the rope to a structure, such as a tree branch, ensuring that the bottom of the shopping bag remains on the ground.

Your Shopping Bag Fly Trap is now ready to use. The shopping bag fly trap enables the easy disposal of dead flies.

TESTIMONIALS ↑

"The only flies we have had in the house are the ones taking a shortcut to the trap."
Department of Conservation, Maud Island

"I have purchased 4 of these fittings and found them so good I want 6 more."
Anne Dennis, Lindisburn, Cromwell

"Where have all the flies gone? You little beauty. Absolutely brilliant flytrap."
David Western

"I bought three flytraps, in one week I had one nearly full."
Simon Goodwin.

"At certain times of the season, the barrels would catch up to 30 litres of flies, reducing flystrike and chemical spraying."
Jim West, Sheepfarmer, Ward

"I have trialed this fitting on a paint pail with outstanding results. It's ability to attract and trap flies is better than excellent. Magnificent invention."
Keith van Asch

"I used the flytrap at the piggery. It proved to be an effective and environmentally friendly way of controlling our fly population."
Campbell Ingram

FLY INFORMATION ↑

Several types of non-biting flies can be found in and around farms, residences, and food-handling establishments. These flies can be harmful to health, causing annoyance and discomfort. All non-biting flies have an egg, larva (maggot), pupa, and adult stage in their life cycle. The adult fly has 2 wings (the hind pair is reduced to a knobbed balancing organ).

Non-biting flies are usually scavengers in nature and many are capable of transmitting diseases to man. non-biting flies can usually be grouped according to their habits and appearance as: houseflies and their relatives; flesh flies, blow flies and bottle flies, filter flies, and vinegar (fruit) flies.

House Fly

The house fly, Musca domestica, is one of the most common of all insects. It is world-wide in distribution and is a pest in homes, barns, poultry houses, food processing plants, dairies, and recreation areas. It has a tremendous breeding potential and during the warmer months can produce a generation in less than two weeks.

Not only are they a nuisance, but they also can transport disease-causing organisms. More than 100 pathogens associated with the house fly may cause disease in humans and animals, including typhoid, cholera, bacillary dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax ophthalmia and infantile diarrhoea, as well as parasitic worms. Pathogenic organisms are picked up by flies from rubbish, sewage and other sources of filth, and then transferred on their mouthparts and other body parts, through their vomits, faeces and contaminated external body parts to human and animal food.
Description

About 1/4" in length; dull gray in color; thorax marked longitudinally with 4 dark stripes; abdomen pale and fourth wing vein is angled
Breeding Habits

Warm organic material such as animal and poultry manure, garbage, decaying vegetables and fruits and in piles of moist leaves and lawn clippings. Is also known to be attracted to carrion.

Life Cycle: 6 to 10 days

Blow Fly

The blowflies and bottle flies usually have a metallic blue or green colour or both on the thorax and abdomen. These flies are strong fliers and range many kilometres from breeding places. They are abundant during the warm summer months.

Blowflies and bottle flies can breed on dead rodents and birds in attics or wall voids of houses. They usually breed in meat scraps, animal excrement, and decaying animal matter. The adult flies are quite active inside and are strongly attracted to light. The mature larvae are often a problem when they migrate from breeding areas to pupate.

Blowflies usually lay eggs on dead animals or decaying meat. Rubbish bins have been known to produce 30,000 blowflies in one week. The life cycle usually lasts 9-21 days from egg to adult.
Description

About 1/2" in length with, generally, a shiny/metallic abdomen and/or thorax

Breeding Habits

Dead animal carcasses; decomposing meat and fish, garbage, over-ripe fruit, decaying vegetable matter and sores on living humans.

Life Cycle: 9 to 21 days

Fruit Fly

Fruit flies are nuisance pests and contaminators of food. Fruit flies usually breed in fruit, dirty rubbish containers, or slime in drains, feeding on yeasts that grow on organic matter.

Each adult lays about 500 eggs which hatch and the larvae mature to adults in 9-12 days. These flies are readily attracted to fruit, vegetables, and soft drink bottles and cans.
Description

About 1/8" in length, brownish-black to brownish-yellow in color and have a feathery bristle on the antennae
Breeding Habits

Fermenting or rotting fruit and vegetable material and in rubbish cans

Life Cycle: 9 to 21 days

Stable Fly

The stable fly or dog fly is a bloodsucking fly which is of considerable importance to people, pets and agricultural animals. Stable Flies primarily attack animals for a blood meal, but in the absence of an animal host will also bite man. Adult stable flies can fly up to 70 miles from their breeding sites. The stable fly adult is similar to the house fly in size and colour. The stable fly, however, has a long bayonet-like mouthpart for sucking blood. Unlike many other species of flies, both male and female stable flies suck blood.

The stable fly can breed all year in warmer environments although peak populations occur in the summer months. Stable fly bites are extremely painful to both man and animal. When hungry, stable flies are quite persistent and will continue to pursue a blood meal even after being swatted at several times. Although the bite is painful, there is little irritation after the bite, and few people exhibit an allergic reaction to stable fly bites.

The most practical and economical method for reducing stable fly populations is the elimination or proper management of breeding sources. It is important to remember that stable flies cannot develop in dry materials.
Description

Similar to the house fly in size and colour however, has a long bayonet-like mouthpart
Breeding Habits

Soggy hay, grasses or feed, piles of moist fermenting weed or grass cuttings, spilled green chop, peanut litter, seaweed deposits along beaches, and sometimes in manure well-mixed with hay

Life Cycle: 22-58 days

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ↑

In this section we provide answers to questions we are often asked. If you have any questions regarding your Fitting or trap usage, please feel free to ask us via our feedback form.
We live in a high rainfall area, will your trap work?

Yes. We suggest that you tilt your Trap about 5 degrees with the blade on the fitting running from the highest point to the lowest point, to assist with water run-off.
How long has the Fitting Been about?

The Flytrap Fitting was released at the Mystery Creek Agricultural Field Days in 2000. The Fitting is the result of 18 years of research and development.
What bait do you recommend?

Please read our Instructions Page
How often should I re-bait my Trap?

When the trap stops working or it is full of flies. We suggest that you do not let the dead flies get closer than 60mm - 70mm from the entry tube.
Is it ok to move the trap once its working?

Yes, it is alright to move a working trap. Just be careful not to stir-up the trap contents, as it is the top layer of material in the trap that attracts flies.
During Summer I am adding water often what can I do about it?

We suggest you move the trap to a place where it is shaded between 11am to 3pm. The benefit of this will be two-fold. First, it will lower the temperature in the trap and, hence, slow the evaporation rate. Second, will improve the effectiveness of the trap simply because flies do not like landing on "hot" surfaces or entering the trap if the temperature is too hot.
Maggots have started growing on the dead flies

If there are a few live flies in the trap, remove the fitting and pour boiling water on the maggots. Generally, the amount of boiling water required is less than a cup full. Replace the fitting and check in a couple of days to ensure trap is working.

If there are lots of live flies, spray them and then remove the fitting and pour boiling water on the maggots. Generally, the amount of boiling water required is less than a cup full. Replace the fitting and check in a couple of days to ensure trap is working.

NOTE: If your trap is done with a plastic bag, do not pour boiling water on the maggots - simply, remove fitting and tie bag off then, tie within one or two other plastic bags to ensure they can not escape and dispose of.
The flies seem to be flying in and out of your trap !

This happens when the fitting has been placed upside down. To check that your fitting is the correct way up, you should be able to read the text and fax number.
The flies seem to just hover about the trap without going in?

This normally happens when your bait/attractant has gone-off. Simply, empty and re-bait/set your trap.
What is the best way to dispose of dead flies?

The simplest way is to bury them. However, do not bury live maggots - pour boiling water on the maggots first.

CONTACT ↑

The flytraps are available for delivery within Western Australia at a retail cost of Au$25 each including post and packing.

PrIces for delivery interstate or internationally are similar although depend on current exchange rates and the cost of delivering the flytraps to the specified destination. Contact us with details for a firm price on delivering the flytraps to locations outside Western Australia.

Price reductions are available on orders for multiple quantities of units. Please enquire.

Contact us

Flytrap
The Flytrap Fitting