| What is a glue board? A glue board (aka | | | | still is the fact that your unwelcome |
| sticky board or gluepad) is a piece of | | | | visitors - the flying ones, not your |
| stiff card with very heavy adhesive on | | | | friends - will also spread disease. They |
| one side. It is inserted into a fly | | | | will typically visit animal droppings, |
| killer machine.What is a fly killer | | | | or a trash can, and then fly around your |
| machine? It is a device that attracts | | | | kitchen, spreading germs that they have |
| flying insects by shining ultra violet | | | | picked up on their feet or regurgitating |
| light and then traps them.What is ultra | | | | their own saliva on solids that they |
| violet (uv) light? It is light just like | | | | need to soften in order to digest. Not |
| any other light. It just happens to be | | | | nice - and completely avoidable if a fly |
| invisible to humans but not to flies, | | | | killer machine is used.Fly killers |
| who are extremely partial to it and tend | | | | fitted with glueboards will use less |
| to eagerly fly towards it. Anyway, a fly | | | | electricity than zapper fly killers. In |
| killer machine attracts flies using its | | | | an age when electricity prices are |
| uv light. Some fly killer machines have | | | | rising this is an increasingly |
| electric grids that electrocute the fly | | | | significant consideration. There are |
| while others have glue boards on which | | | | also those who like to count their dead |
| the fly is trapped. This brings us back | | | | flies. Why, you may ask? Counting how |
| where we started.Once the fly is | | | | many flies are killed will give an |
| trapped, it is no longer a threat. Fly | | | | indication of the fly killer machine's |
| killer machines that use glue boards are | | | | effectiveness and an idea of flying |
| often used in situations where silent | | | | insect activity. This is particularly |
| operation is required. Fly killers that | | | | useful to entomologists and other |
| electrocute (or zap) the fly give out an | | | | scientists and researchers, especially |
| unmistakable noise that lets everyone | | | | those concerned with the environment. |
| know that the machine has made a kill. | | | | Pest controllers will also use this |
| Some restaurants would prefer a more | | | | method to determine the best place to |
| subtle operation where the fly | | | | site a fly killer. By moving the machine |
| discreetly flies into the fly killer | | | | from one location to another they can |
| machine and never comes out - and no | | | | count the amount of flies caught and |
| sound is ever heard. Glue board fly | | | | determine the best place to site the |
| killer machines are often made to mimic | | | | machine. Manufacturers of fly killer |
| wall lights. Diners in a restaurant will | | | | machines, such as Insect-o-cutor. also |
| not give these lamps a second glance, | | | | use this method to test fly killer |
| but they are not lamps in the normal | | | | machine designs.The method of trapping |
| sense. They are difference between | | | | flying insects using glue has been with |
| having a fly spreading germs and giving | | | | us for a very long time and way before |
| the restaurant a bad name and a | | | | electricity came along and gave us |
| restaurant that pays regard to hygiene | | | | zappers. Hanging sticky papers is a |
| and has a good reputation.If you live | | | | practice that still happens today. It is |
| near a field or know somebody that does, | | | | much less common as most people would |
| then you may be aware that they will get | | | | rather not see lots of dead flies |
| more than their fair share of flies (and | | | | hanging in their kitchen. Not only did |
| wasps). Similarly, if you keep | | | | electricity give us zappers but it also |
| livestock, have stables or even a dog, | | | | gave us ultra violet lamps. These will |
| you will have more than the average | | | | attract the flies to the glue, whereas |
| amount of visits from curious flying | | | | sticky papers tended to only work if |
| insects. The same goes if you live near | | | | there were enough of them or if the |
| a food production plant or a refuse | | | | fly's seemingly random flight pattern |
| dump. For those who are in these areas, | | | | happened to take it to the paper.Glue |
| they too may prefer one of these | | | | board fly killers are used extensively |
| discreet fly killer "lamps" instead of | | | | around the world. If you knew very |
| the industrial-looking zappers. Life is | | | | little about them before and know more |
| more comfortable in a fly-free | | | | now, then at least, when you next are |
| environment. There is nothing worse than | | | | harassed by a fly that refuses to be |
| trying to entertain friends with a | | | | swatted, you know there is another way |
| rolled up newspaper in one hand, at the | | | | to do it.Vernon Stent is the content |
| ready. To be on constant guard when you | | | | writer for Arkay Hygiene. |
| should be relaxing is not ideal. Worse | | | | |