One of the most effective and environmentally friendly ways to keep fly populations under control is through traps. Available in a number of different types, fly traps literally stop adult flies in their tracks, rendering them harmless and unable to reproduce. Flies caught in traps cannot bite horses, nor can they go on to produce maggots in manure, soiled bedding or other areas containing organic material.

Traps are a very efficient way to monitor and control insect problems, according to educational materials from natural pest control company Arbico Organics, in Oro Valley, Arizona. Some traps are durable and can be reused by simply replacing the bait or the removable sticky pad; others are disposable after they are filled.

Fly traps commonly use pheromone lures or baits that attract flies. Some contain sticky substances that are affixed to different colored materials that attract a specific range of insects.

Sticky traps are the most popular trap of type. They consist of strips of tape, bars or cylinders coated with a sticky substance that adheres to the fly’s legs. When the fly lands on the trap, having been lured by scent or color, it cannot fly away. The fly dies, but before doing so, attracts other flies to the trap by its presence—flies love to gather in groups.

Another popular type of fly trap uses pheromone lures or food bait to attract flies. The flies enter the trap, which is usually made of plastic, but they cannot leave because of a specially designed portal. Some lure-type fly traps contain water, and the flies eventually drown. In other traps, the fly simple dies because it cannot escape to feed or drink.

Fly traps are most effective when used in conjunction with other types of fly control, such as parasitic wasps and manure management.