Professional Fly Traps from...

Flying Insect Control

The Principals

The fly trap’s are built around the concept of flying insects being attracted to ultra-violet light. They are attracted to the UV because this effect reproduces the effect of certain types of plant leaves. These plants in turn provide a food source.

In order to be effective the flytrap will then either electrocute the insect, or catch it on some type of sticky surface.

Ultraviolet Light

UV light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum and it is invisible to the human eye; its wavelength is between that of X-rays and visible light in the 10 to 400 nano-metre band.

The UV spectrum is broken down into 3 bands designated A,B or C. Only UV-A is used to attract flying insects, others are used in tanning and sterilisation see the table below.

The UVA is generated by using fluorescent light technology with tubes that have a special phosphor coating on the inside of the glass, to provide the critical UVA wavelength. However this phosphor deteriorates over time and becomes ineffective after 12 months.

IMPORTANT FACT

The tube continues to emit blue light well beyond this period and so the human eye does not detect any apparent change, however, the lamp will no longer attract insects.

As a result tubes need to be changed at least annually. All units carry a label to this effect.

IMPORTANT FACT

UV-A does not travel very far, within 1 to 2 metres of a trap most of the UV cannot be measured, however the perception is maintained because of the emission of the blue light. Brandenburg manufactures measuring instruments for measuring the amount of UV emitted from a fly trap.

RULE OF THUMB

Generally speaking the higher the wattage of the lamp the greater the amount of UV emitted and the greater the attraction process

UV Fluorescent Tubes.

Tubes come in a variety of sizes and configurations which in the main are the same as those supplied in the lighting industry.

Brandenburg has standardised its products to use just 2 of the available industry products.

All tubes require a starter and a ballast to run them, however the compact 26w tube is fitted with an integral starter.

The tubes used by Brandenburg are:

High Voltage Grid Machines – Electronic Fly Killers

The traditional method of controlling insects is electrocution. This is achieved using an AC transformer to step up the mains to 4,200V at a current of approximately 9mA.

This voltage is applied across alternate bars of a grille placed in front of the UV tubes. In order to contain this voltage and prevent arcing and tracking extensive use is made of insulators made from PTFE. Machines are fitted with safety interlocks to prevent risk of shock, which although not generally harmful (due to the low current).

DC based machines have not been used due to problems with static charge which causes a build up of dust and dirt which ultimately carbonises causing tracking.

The advantage of high voltage machines is that they will run with minimal servicing, the principal disadvantage is that the electrocution process can cause fragmentation of the insect and may blow pieces of them outside of the machine into the environment.

Adhesive Machines – Fly Catchers

As a counter to the problems of blow out, sticky board or glue board based machines have been developed. In its simplest form the glue board is a piece of 40gsm card coated with adhesive and positioned behind the UV tubes. Two types of glue are in use in the industry known as hot glue and cold glue (referring to the method of application). Hot glue is generally easier to handle it is requires a thinner coating and is far less viscous however it is just as effective at catching insects.

Brandenburg uses only hot glue.

Much development has gone into adhesives to overcome inherent problems such as dripping or premature curing from the UV.

Glue boards are often marked with grids to enable service technicians to identify and count insects. A variety of colours are used on the card to improve catch rates. Patterns are also used including pictures of insects to appeal to the scavenging instincts of insects.

As a general rule contrasts are thought to be good for improving attraction.

Within the Brandenburg product range is the product known as FICS. This machine is a fully automated unit using an electronically controlled polyester glue film. This machine is only available from Rentokil

Coverage

A frequently asked question is how big an area will a fly trap cover. Very little published data is available to substantiate UV propagation as much depends on design of the machine and competing light sources. It must always be remembered that insect flight is random and rapid, as such success is often achieved by an insect being within range, from natural movement.

As a rule of thumb each watt of tube power will cover an area of 3m2 per side For example a 30W unit would cover an area of 90m2.

Units are often designed to be both wall mounted or suspended from the ceiling.

Waterproofing

There are a number of applications that exist where the machines may be exposed to water, either from washing down or from background humidity. To determine how resistant a unit is against water ingress an international rating system called “IP Rating is used is used.

What is an IP Rating?

When you buy electrical equipment, you may find it has an "IP rating". This tells you how resistant it is to dust, liquids and impacts. The IP Rating is a coding that covers a range of international standards for electrical equipment

What is the Rating Code?

You'll often see that equipment is rated to "IP54" or "IP65" and so on. This is a short form of the full coding system. Each digit represents the degree of protection against one of the environmental factors. For Fly traps we typically use just the first two digits.

The first is for solid particle ingress; the second is for liquids ingress. The meanings of the numbers are given in the following table:

What do the IP Numbers Mean?

Electrical Safety Standards

In common with all electrical appliances strict safety standards govern the design and manufacture of insect killers. All Brandenburg’s fly control equipment is approved to international standards. Many differing standards apply around the world although harmonisation is on the increase. Generally, the standards fall into two types based on those used in North America (USA and Canada) or Europe.

Many slight regional variations exist and advice should also be sought from the companies regulatory department.

The testing of our products is carried out independently by NEMKO, the Norwegian Standards Agency at their London office and by Underwriters Laboratory in Northbrook, Chicago. The harmonisation of standards means that these two agencies are able to provide testing and approvals for other countries such as Italy, Australia and Argentina.

CE Marking

In addition to safety approval all electrical equipment must meet standards relating to the minimisation of electrical interference. These standards are set out by CENELEC and if the product must be labelled to indicate that have been tested and is within the required limits. This label is referred to the CE mark