All About Fly Tape

It is difficult to share the same room with flies, they are not only annoying, but also dangerous. A single fly can host up to a million bacteria, many of which are disease-causing. There are many ways to deal with flies, from the familiar firecracker to serious poisons. This article will focus on a popular, effective and safe method for people - adhesive tape.

Fly sticky is a simple and ingenious tool. I opened the package, hung it up and forgot, and the flies themselves will find their way to it, gathering for a special specific smell. The flycatcher looks like a ribbon hanging from the ceiling, made of thick paper. The product is impregnated with a sticky substance, hitting which, the fly cannot get out.

The Velcro was invented by the German confectioner Theodor Kaiser. For many years he experimented with different syrups laid out on cardboard, until he thought of cutting it into flat ribbons and rolling them into a tube. Kaiser involved his chemist friend in the process of creating the flycatcher. They succeeded in producing a product with a sticky, fly-friendly formulation that did not dry out for a long time. In 1910, the first velcro production was established in Germany.

Many people choose Velcro from all kinds of fly control products, since they have a lot of advantages:

• the paper with an adhesive base that makes up the flytrap is completely harmless to people;
• the product is suspended from the ceiling and is out of the reach of children and animals;
• most traps contain an aroma that attracts insects, but is not captured by people, so even those who cannot tolerate foreign odors can use Velcro;
• fly tapes have a long service life;
• the product is inexpensive, and the efficiency is high.

Flycatchers can be used indoors without fear of poisoning. They also work well without running out of steam in open spaces. The only thing that can reduce the activity of the tape in outdoor conditions is the adhesion of dust, from the presence of foreign particles, the composition on the tape loses its viscosity.

Velcro works incredibly simple. The tape hanging from the top is impregnated with an adhesive aromatic substance, in which the legs of the flies get stuck, and they cannot leave the trap. The more insects hit the belt, the more actively other flies rush to it, considering it an object of food. Noticing this feature, some manufacturers produce Velcro with the image of flies.

This fly catching product is completely harmless even for children. The tape itself is made of cellulose, and the adhesive contains environmentally friendly components:

• pine resin or rosin;
• rubber;
• glycerin or oils - vaseline, linseed, castor;
• attractant - a substance with an alluring action, thanks to which flies find Velcro.

All ingredients provide reliable viscosity and will not dry for a long time. Sticky tapes work from one to six months, it all depends on the temperature regime, drafts, home or outdoor conditions, and also on the manufacturer. The trap can be changed as it fills, without waiting for the expiration of the period declared by the manufacturer.

The large assortment of this type of product makes it difficult to choose. In many ways, the quality of the product depends on the manufacturer. Before buying, it is better to read the reviews of those who have had experience of using fly traps in everyday life or at work. Mark for yourself positive responses, remember the names of the products, and then go shopping.

When choosing a product, you should not ignore important points.

• Inspection of the trap must begin with the packaging. Dents and smudges will result in improper storage, which can reduce the effectiveness of the adhesive tape
• The Velcro should fit snugly in the case, but when removed from it, it shouldn't be a hassle - it should be easy and quick to unfold.
• When choosing a ribbon, you should take into account its color, in this regard, flies have their own preferences. They usually go for the yellow option. The insect does not distinguish between red and purple tones and can ignore, and blue and green tints are irritating factors.
• At the time of purchase, the number of traps is taken into account. For a room with an area of ​​ten to fifteen square meters, you will need several pieces of a standard size. For large audiences, Argus' wide six-meter super tapes are available.
• It is better to hang flycatchers in the corners, where insects often look.
• Before buying, the expiration date must be checked, the thickness of the adhesive composition depends on it. The viscous layer dries out over time and loses its effectiveness.

Over the past century, numerous companies around the world have been producing adhesive tapes. In the domestic market, you can find a large number of products of this type. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of the best of them.

• Help (Boyscout). Russian-made product. One factory package contains 4 tapes with fasteners. Instructions for use are printed on each sleeve. The consumption of a complete set is designed for 20-25 sq. m area. Unopened ribbon can be stored for 3 years in a cool place.
• Raid. The product is of Czech origin, contains rubber, tricosene, rosin and mineral oils. Trap length - 85 cm, package - 4 pcs.
• Raptor. A trap from a well-known domestic manufacturer. Non-toxic components are used, enzymes that attract insects are contained. The tape is designed for 2 months of work.
• Fumitox. Russian manufacturer. The effectiveness of the opened tape is maintained for 1-1.5 months. Shelf life in unopened packaging is 4 years.
• "Destructive force". The trap was made in Russia. The product is odorless and suitable for all areas. The package contains 4 ribbons. The efficiency of the stripped strip is six months.

Anyone who wants to repeat the experiments of Theodor Kaiser can make Velcro with their own hands at home. Homemade tape is not as convenient and durable as the factory one, but it is quite workable. There are many recipes for making artisanal traps, we offer some of them:

• turpentine, sugar syrup, castor oil and rosin in a ratio of 1: 1: 2: 3;
• glycerin, honey, liquid paraffin, rosin in a ratio of 1: 2: 4: 8;
• jam, pharmacy linseed oil, rosin in a ratio of 1: 4: 6;
• wax, sugar syrup, castor oil, pine resin in a ratio of 1: 5: 15: 30.

The cooking method is pretty simple.

You need to take thick paper, cut it into strips, make hanging loops. Set aside the blanks and start preparing the adhesive layer.

The adhesive is prepared in a water bath. To do this, take a pot of water and a tin can, which you will not mind throwing away after preparing the mixture. Put resin or rosin in the jar and put it in a pot of boiling water. During the melting of the mass, it must be stirred until a viscous liquid is obtained.Then you will need to gradually introduce the remaining components to the resins, stir well and warm up for several minutes so that the mass becomes homogeneous. Set aside from heat and can be used to craft traps.

To do this, take the prepared tapes with loops and apply a viscous, not yet cooled liquid to their surface on both sides. The sticky layer should be 2-3 mm. If, during the processing of a large number of tapes, the mixture begins to solidify, it can be reheated in a water bath.

There is another simple invention (for the lazy) in the fight against flies, these are products made from scotch tape, which simply contains glue on the tape. Scotch tape is hung in different parts of the room and random insects do get on it. But it is not practical, it twists, sticks together, falls and creates problems for others. Scotch tape has no inviting sweet smell and does not attract insects.

Having bought a trap with adhesive tape, it remains only to open and hang it correctly. The installation procedure for the flycatcher is quite simple:

• open the package with a set of Velcro, take one of them;
• a loop is found from the end of the case, with its help you should hang the product in a place inhabited by flies;
• then, from the side opposite to the loop, carefully remove the adhesive tape and leave it hanging in an extended state, the second way is to first remove the sticky strip and carefully hang it in the already open form;
• while working with the tape, it is important not to touch anything with it, especially the hair, otherwise you can feel the quality of viscosity on yourself.

You need to fix the flycatcher in the following places:

• the tape is suspended as high as possible so that it is impossible for people and pets to hook it;
• the service life of the flycatcher will significantly reduce its location in a draft or in direct sunlight, sometimes the tape is suspended from the window frame, and insects stick, not having time to fly into the room, with this arrangement, the trap will have to be changed more often than the warranty period;
• the sticky composition dries quickly if you hang the tape near a heater or near an open fire;
• a crowded flycatcher must be removed in time and replaced with a new one.