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 



