The document provides an introduction to flying insects, discussing how they can spread disease if not properly controlled. It examines the lifecycle and anatomy of flies, highlighting how they can transmit pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. Key factors for effective insect light traps to control flying insects are discussed, including the importance of brightness, UV wavelength, and size of the attracting area.

1. 1. Introduction to
Flying Insects

2. Terms of Use
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3. • Flying insects carry disease and if not
properly controlled can cause
contamination within the food chain
• In non-food areas, they give rise to the
perception that the hygiene at a
particular location is poorly managed
• It is important to ensure a proactive
flying insect control programmes is in
place as part of the wider pest control
strategy
Introduction to Flies

4. Flies are insects of the order
Diptera.
In the order Diptera there are
over 3500 species.
© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008
Introduction to Flies

5. © Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008
Under optimal conditions a pair
of house flies can produce 191
quintillion
(191,000,000,000,000,000,000) in
4 months
Introduction to Flies

6. © Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008
A house fly can travel between
1.5 and 3kms in a day
Introduction to Flies

7. • The average life cycle is
between 8 days to 2 months
• House flies watch each other
constantly and follow each
other to find food sources
• Flies spread diseases quickly
because they move from
rotting disease laden garbage,
to utensils and foods
Fly Facts
The lifecycle of a fly

8. © Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008
• Wings
• Legs
• Abdomen
• Compound Eye
• Antennae
• Thorax
• Hairs
• Sponge like mouth parts
Fly Facts
Typical Anatomy

9. Flying Insects
A compound eye
• Flies eyes feature thousands
of receptors.
• The images that they see is a
sum of all the pictures from
each receptor
• Flies have a very wide sphere
of view due to this and can
detect very fast movement

10. They are known to carry
pathogenic bacteria such as
Salmonella, Listeria & E-Coli.
© Brandenburg UK Ltd 2008
The Danger of Flies

11. • The common house fly can carry up
to 1.9 million bacteria on its body
• Up to 33 million micro-organisms
flourish in a fly’s gut
• Flies deposit thousands of
bacterium every time they land
• For every fly you see, 19 more are
hidden from view
Salmonella E. Coli Cholera
Typhoid Dysentery Tuberculosis
Fly Facts: Flying insects
as Vectors of disease

12. What is foodborne
illness? How does food
become contaminated
• Eating or drinking contaminated food and
drinks can lead to a foodborne illness.
• In instances where two or more people get
sick from the same food or drink source this is
classed as a foodborne illness outbreak.
• The three main ways food becomes
contaminated are:
• Microbiological; Chemical; Physical
Microbiological
Chemical
Physical

13. • Despite the United States having one of the
safest food systems in the world, the Federal
Government and Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there
are about 48 million cases of foodborne
illnesses annually
• This is the equivalent of:
• 1 in 6 Americans becoming sick,
• An estimated 128,000 people being
hospitalised
• 3,000 deaths
Source FDA - What You Need to Know About Foodborne Illness-Causing Organisms in the U.S.
http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm103263.htm
Flying insects and
disease in the USA

14. • Each year food-borne
illnesses cost the United
States an estimated $152
billion in health-related
expenses.
• This equates to $1,850 on
average per illness.
Source: Business Week - Food borne illnesses in US cost $152 billion
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/636595.html
Flying insects and
disease in the USA

15. • 11 million people in Canada suffer
foodborne illness each year. This costs
nearly $1.1 billion
• The number of foodborne illnesses from
Salmonella and E- coli are greater in
Canada than America
• More than half of all foodborne illnesses
are picked up in restaurants, cafeterias
and other food service providers.
Sources: Costs of acute bacterial foodborne disease in Canada and the United States. International Journal of Microbiology
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2701860
The Globe and Mail - Higher rate of foodborne illness in Canada than US: report –
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/higher-rate-of-food-borne-illness-in-canada-than-us-
report/article2331264
Flying insects and
disease in Canada

16. • Reducing foodborne illnesses by 10%
would keep 5 million Americans from
getting sick each year,
• Preventing a single case of E-coli
O157:H7 would save an estimated $7
million
CDC and Food Safety - http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/PDFs/CDC-and-Food-Safety.pdf
Fly Facts:
The potential effects of
reducing foodborne illness

17. House Fly Face Fly Fruit Fly Flesh Fly Drain Fly
Musca Domestica Musca autumnalis Drosophilia
Melanogaster
Sarcophagidea rudis Psychoda alternata
Say
6-7mm in length 6mm in length 3mm in length 12mm in length 3mm in length
Medium to dark grey
in color
Medium to dark grey
in color
Tan color, red eyes Medium to dark grey
in color
Brownish grey to
black color
Breed around
garbage and
decaying fruit and
vegetables
Breed in fresh cow
manure
Breed wherever food
is allowed to rot.
Over ripened fruit
and vegetables
Breed around animal
carcasses and human
excrement
Breed around drains
and wet areas such
as sinks and shower
trays
Can trasmit E. coli,
Salmonella, and
Typhoid
Transmits pinkeye
and Thelazia worms
to cattle
Associated with
Salmonella and E.
coli.
In close contact with
E.
coli, salmonella and
Vibrio choleae
In contact with
Bacillus spores,
Salmonella and
Shigella
Common Flies

18. Electromagnetic
spectrum
Department of Immunology, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd.,
Box 178, Houston, TX 77030
Filth Fly Peak Eye Sensitivity
House fly (Musca domestica)
340-360nm
Lesser House fly (Fannia canicularis)
340-350nm
Bluebottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria)
344nm
Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster)
345-375nm

19. What does a fly see?
What we see.What a fly sees

20. The basics of flying
insect attraction:
How UVA is produced
• UVA bulbs are used in Insect light traps to attract
flies.
• These bulbs are designed in a very similar way as
normal fluorescent lights, except that a different
phosphor is used on the inside of the tube, which
emits UV instead of visible light.
T8 15W lamp
Above: Image of a Brandenburg TT insect
light trap taken with a UV camera

21. Insect Light Traps:
Important Considerations
• Response to light varies with the insect and conditions.
• Flies do not see ILTs more than 30 meters away.
• Response increases greatly within 3-4 meters.
• Response can be delayed – flies may ignore a trap for a
while before becoming attracted.
• Flies demonstrate intermittent periods of being
attracted to ILTs.
• Most flies fly in a zone within 2 meters from the floor
(consider this when placing Insect light traps).
Flies may not be responsive to
an ILT until they have been
inside for quite some time.

22. What are the key
factors in an Insect Light
Trap (ILT)?
• Studies* have shown that the degree of
attraction increases with increasing light
intensity, and also with increased size of
the UV-emitting area.
“Brightness and size of the UV-target
were the two most important parameters
influencing catch”*
* Pickens,LG; Thimijan,RW (1986): Design parameters that affect the performance of UV-emitting traps in attracting house flies
(Diptera: Muscidae).

23. From Attraction to
Capture
• Once attracted towards an insect light trap, a
flying insect will be killed or captured.
• The two most common methods for capture
or kill are:
• High voltage grid for killing flying insects
(not suitable for areas of food
preparation/service)
• Control or sticky board – for capturing
flying insects whole
• Further details on which type of insect light
trap is appropriate are available

24. Any Questions?

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