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The buffalo fly, Haematobia irritans exigua, is a blood-sucking fly that remains on cattle throughout its adult life, with brief absences by the females to lay eggs in the cow's fresh dung pad. Buffalo fly numbers exceed 200/beast for much of the summer in northern Australia and so cause substantial losses of production. The fly also transmits microscopic Stephanofilaria worms, which cause severe skin lesions on cattle.

Research on fly behaviour in and around the trap indicated that a transparent wall and ceiling with dark curtains across a passage way would give the most efficient design. A false ceiling in the trap acts as a heat sink and flies leaving the cattle are attracted to the clear cover like houseflies to a window. They move up the walls to the roof and quickly dry out and die in the high temperatures there.

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• Entomology  agricultural pests and pest control   cattle   entomology   flies   insects and other arthropods