Notes on the construction and use of animal-baited traps for sampling haematophagous Diptera

Cattle-baited and poultry-baited traps, a modification of the steer-baited trap designed by R.H. Roberts (1965) [see Mosquito News, 25: 281-285], were constructed and used for sampling haematophagous Diptera, including large-sized Tabanidae and small-sized Ceratopogonidae. The width of the slit was much wider in the new traps (10 cm) than in the Robert’s trap (1.9 cm). When compared with a CO2-lured mosquito-net trap, the cattle-baited trap collected more species and individuals of Muscidae, Culicidae, Simuliidae and Ceratopogonidae. As regards Tabanidae, however, the present width of the slit seemed a little narrow for these species to enter into the trap. A poultry-baited trap was also effective for collecting haematophagous Diptera attracted to and attacking hens.