Sticky fly ribbons are commercially available and the flies caught on them give a useful index of fly population.
Fly ribbons also allow the species of flies stuck on the ribbons to be positively identified.
Several ribbons are placed in a facility. The positions in which the ribbons are placed and the number used are important variables.
The ribbons should be replaced in the same locations in order to be able to compare fly counts from sample to sample.
Usually the ribbons are left in place for a few days, but if left for more than 3 days or if there is a large population of flies, the ribbons will become filled with flies and the rate of catch will decrease drastically.
In dusty situations, especially in poultry houses, the dust will render the ribbons ineffective in a day or two.
Sticky ribbons are messy to handle but offer the advantages of being able to identify the fly species and providing a sample of flies over a period of a few days.
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