Sheep parasites
The LuciTrap sheep blowfly trapping system

Geoffrey Knights, Rudolf Urech, Peter Green, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

Key points

• The LuciTrap system consists of a specifically designed trap a patented blend of chemicals to attract and capture the Australian sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina).
• It is designed to reduce blowfly numbers and fly strike
• The LuciTrap system is an adjunct to other blowfly control procedures and must be combined with them in an IPM program to minimise pesticide use and residues on wool.

Introduction

The Australian sheep blowfly is one of the most important parasites effecting the sheep and wool industry in Australia. It costs the industry $280 million per year through losses in wool quantity and quality, sheep deaths and expenditure on pesticides and labour.

Sheep become fly struck when female flies lay their eggs in a sheep's fleece, close to the skin, where it is warm and there is some sort of moist protein source. When the eggs hatch into larvae (maggots) they feed on the sheep's damaged skin, creating a wound and an odour that attracts other flies.

Integrated pest management (IPM) practices are used to minimise the impact of this parasite and the use of pesticides in its control. The LuciTrap system is a key non-chemical component of an IPM program.

The Australian sheep blowfly

Lucilia cuprina - Australian sheep blowfly

The LuciTrap system is designed to be highly selective for the Australian sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina), see picture. Although several blowfly species are known to strike sheep, more than 90 per cent of blowfly strike in Australia is initiated by the Australian sheep blowfly, an introduced species.

The Australian sheep blowfly travels only a relatively short distance (up to 4 km) during its lifetime, which makes it possible to reduce blowfly populations over a trapped area with an efficient trapping system. LuciTrap is effective because it intercepts and traps the sheep blowfly at two stages in its life cycle:

• when flies are searching for sources of protein essential for egg development
• when female flies are looking for an egg laying site (usually susceptible sheep).

The LuciTrap system

The trap consists of a translucent bucket made from tough ultraviolet-stabilised plastic and a removable lid with a flat surface, entrance cones that allow the sheep blowfly to enter but not leave the trap, and holes for fixing the trap to a tree, fence post or star picket. The lid is fixed to the bucket with a twist and lock design.

LuciTrap fixed to a tree at sheep height off the ground

LuciTrap fixed to a tree at sheep height off the ground

Brackets are built into the lid to hold the bottles of chemical attractant (known as LuciLure). The attractant consists of chemicals designed to mimic the odours of primary food sources of the sheep blowfly - fleece rot, animal carcasses, urine and faeces.

Wicks in the top of each bottle regulate the release rate of the attractant and once the bottles are uncapped the attractant evaporates into the air for up to six months. All three attractant bottles (Lucilure A, B and C) must be placed in the trap according to the manufacturer's instructions for the system to work.

The system originally operated with two bottles of attractant, however it was redeveloped into a three-bottle system to prolong the shelf-life of the attractant so that merchandisers and producers could store the bottles for an extended period before use.

How to use LuciTrap

Number of traps

To operate effectively LuciTraps should be used at the rate of one trap per 100 sheep regardless of area.

Because blowflies can move from areas without traps into areas with traps, trapping over a large area is most effective. Results are likely to be particularly good if a number of producers on adjoining properties, or even a whole district, co-operate in a trapping program.

A cutaway view of the LuciTrap system

Where to put the traps

The traps should be located strategically on your property in areas where sheep blowflies are most likely to be found - along water courses and near dams, tree lines, yards, sheep camps, shearing sheds and rubbish dumps.

Simply fix the trap to a tree, fence post or star picket using fencing clouts or tie wire at the height at which the blowflies work, which is about sheep height off the ground (50 cm to 1 m).

Any traps not catching blowflies should be moved to better locations.

When to put the traps out

LuciTraps must be in use before you expect the blowflies in your district to become active. Do not wait until there are signs of blowfly strike in your flock.

Sheep blowfly populations begin to rise, depending on the district, in late winter or early spring. Therefore in Queensland trapping should start in late winter, when sheep blowfly populations are still low and the LuciTrap prevents the build-up of fly populations.

Trapping when populations are still low helps remove the generation of blowflies from which subsequent populations develop.

Maintaining the traps

LuciTraps should be maintained in working order throughout the expected fly season. The three attractant bottles must all be replaced at the same time when the first bottle runs low (10-20% left). The attractant loses its effectiveness at this stage, even though there may still be a strong odour.

In addition, the trap bucket needs to remain translucent to retain its effectiveness for catching the sheep blowfly. Dark buckets reduce the sheep blowfly catch rate. The buckets can be cleaned using a cloth and water, preferably containing detergent or soap.

Using the traps to monitor blowfly numbers

If you are using the traps to monitor blowfly numbers, more regular visits may be required. By checking the number of blowflies in traps in key areas you can keep track of fluctuations in the population. Ants will remove blowflies from traps and precautions should be taken to exclude them if the traps are being used to monitor fly populations.

Conclusion

The LuciTrap system is an adjunct to other blowfly control procedures and must be combined with them in an IPM program to minimise pesticide use and residues on wool. Do not rely on LuciTrap alone to protect highly susceptible sheep from blowfly strike.

Purchasing LuciTrap

The LuciTrap system is manufactured in Australia by Bioglobal Ltd and can be ordered as follows:

Bioglobal Ltd
226 Grindle Road, Wacol QLD 4076
PO Box 688, Sumner Park Q 4074
Tel: 07 3271 6299
Fax: 07 3271 6399
Contact: Geoff Brooke Mob: 0409 401 113

Detailed instructions on how to assemble and handle the trap and attractants are included when you purchase the LuciTrap system

Acknowledgement

The LuciTrap system was developed by DPI&F in conjunction with The University of Queensland and the manufacturers Bioglobal Pty Ltd.

Further information

• For further information contact the DPI&F Business Information Centre
• The use of LuciTrap as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program is described in the book Blowflies and lice information manual: A practical approach to producing low residue wool  available through the DPI&F Shop Online.
• Further information is also contained in the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries final report on the research project Use of LuciTrap by groups of wool producers to reduce pesticide applications 1998-2001.

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Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.

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Last reviewed 02 September 2008