Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/326

 312

��Popular Science Monthly

��An Easily Constructed Fly-Trap

A TYPE of fly-trap of substantial de- sign which will "stand the racket," has been successfully used in the sanitary department of a coal mining company. The illustration indicates the dimensions that have proved desirable.

The operation of the trap is as follows: The flies are attracted by the bait on the bait-platform and pass between the nails to the chamber under the flv box.

���Perspective

view of the

fly-trap

��They eat their fill and then fly upward into the wire screen funnel and pass from it into the box. They are attracted by the light entering at the sides of the box and but few of them attempt to pass out through the funnel. The ceiling of such a fly-trap can be painted white and the bait platform a dark color, so that after feeding on the bait the fly, following its tendency to move toward the light, will more readily pass up through the funnel.

The feature of the device shown above lies in the fact that the orifice through which the flies enter from the feeding platform into the trap is a long slot through which many flies can pass at the ::?.me time. A long orifice of this type is much better than one which is merely a hole of small diameter through which only one fly can pass at a time. A perspective view of the tra[) is shown above and the drawing opposite reveals the details of construction. The bait platform is built from two planks i in. by 12 ins. nailed to two cleats 2 ins. by 4 ins. Through this bait platform, under the position that is to be ultimately

��p^ w< Diagram

j of parts

T ] with sizes

���occupied by the trap, are dri\-en wire nails as shown, to retain the bait in position.

The fly-box, as illustrated, is not permanently secured to the bait plat- form. Hence it can be easily removed to clean the platform or change the bait. When it is desired to clean the box some gasoline should be splashed into it. This will stun the flies so that they then can be dumped out through the cleaning tloor and burned.

A Cheap Fly- Catcher

TAKE a glass tobacco jar and make a cone to fit into the top of the jar. Cut an opening about J 4 in. at the apex of the cone to admit the flies. Then place four spring clothes-pins equally around the opening of the jar. These hokl the cone in shape and also answer for legs. Place a cup with sour mill: under the center of the jar, and as the flics feed they will fly from the cup into the trap. Set the trap in the sun.

����Another simple but practical fly-trap

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