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Flies love the Rid-Max Fly Trap

 

Environmentally Safe Insect Control System   

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

  1. Is my Rid-Max Fly Trap working to its maximum capability?
  2. Can I hang my Rid-Max Fly Trap?
  3. How many Rid-Max Fly Traps should I use?
  4. I noticed after the first few weeks of catching thousands of bugs, the trap now seems to be catching fewer insects. Why is this?
  5. When is the best time of day or year to use the Rid-Max Fly Trap?
  6. What is the best location in which to place the Rid-Max Fly Trap?
  7. Will the trap catch biting or meat-eating flies?
  8. How can I keep from releasing any live flies when it's time to empty my trap?
  9. I won't be taking my trap down at all, how can I permanently secure the legs on it?
  10. The rods keep falling out of the top ring, why aren't they staying in the holes?
  11. Sometimes on very windy days or during storms I find my trap tipped over. What should I do to prevent this?
  12. How do I become a distributor for the Rid-Max Fly Trap? Can I receive discounts for bulk purchases?

     

Q: Is my Rid-Max Fly Trap working to its maximum capability?

A: If there are flies in the area, the Rid-Max Fly Trap definitely will begin catching flies immediately after assembly and bait application. The only factors which would result in the trap not working to its full potential are:
 

1. Choice of bait:
Make sure to use a bait that is a strong lure for the species/types of flies in the area the trap will be used. Certain types of baits work better as an attractant for different species of flies. To learn more about the different types of baits and insects that are attracted to them, please visit our Bait Information page.
 

2. Trap height:
The Rid-Max Fly Trap's legs are purposely manufactured long for use on any type of surface, allowing customization of the trap's height for optimum results. There is a possibility that if the trap sits too high, flies which descend under the trap and onto the bait, may escape from under the trap without entering the coned entrance. We want you to catch every fly that lands on that bait.

Depending on the surface on which the trap will be used, the legs may need to be shortened to a proper height. For use in tall grass or plants, the trap probably does not need to be altered.

For use on medium length grass, mowed lawn, or smooth surface areas (patios, dirt, kennels, etc.), the legs of the trap will need to be shortened. Simply trim the same amount off each of the blunt ends of the four legs with a wire cutter or any other suitable device. Shorten the height of the trap so the bottom ring (where the cone snaps in) sits only 1" to 2" above the surface where the trap will be placed.

 

* Optimal trap height: 1 - 2 inches from surface.

3. Opening at end of cone is not cut large enough:
If you have larger sized insects and flies, the hole at the end of the cone may be too small for the insects to pass through into the trap. As stated in the instructions packaged with the Rid-Max Fly Trap, the hole at the end of the cone may need to enlarged by trimming a slightly larger opening at the tip of the cone.
 

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Q: Can I hang my Rid-Max Fly Trap?

A: Yes, many of our customers hang their traps to keep them out of the way of their animals or from high traffic areas. Here are a few tips from one of our distributors, Karen Rosano of Kids-R-Us Goat Farms in Texas:

   

 

(Right) Karen Rosano states: "This is how many flies fit in the trap in only one cleaning, there has to be several thousand at least. That pile is 6'' tall and 8" across."
 

(Left and Above) "This is what the whole bucket looks like, notice it is a very small bucket that is only a few inches wider than the trap.  This helps to direct the flies up into the trap. I tell every customer that the secret to keeping the trap "cooking" is to keep the bait damp.  I use dry kibble dog food that has been soaked soggy in water.  Then I walk around everyday with a gallon jug of water and I put about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water in each bucket to replace what evaporated since the day before.  I use 10 traps and it takes less than one minute to recharge all of them each day."

Here is a photo of a hanging trap being used at one of the McDonald's in North California (under eave above the door):

Here is a hanging trap being used in Iraq.

Here is a trap in hanging in a barn (upper left corner).

 

Received via email from Cathy Phelan of Riverside, California:

I recently purchased 10 of your traps.  they work wonderful.   BUT, if you could poke the legs all the way through the top, they can be bent  over with a stop and used to tie string to be hung up.  And a light weight corrugated PVC plate could be used as a base to put bait on.   This is what I did and it works GREAT. 

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Q: How many Rid-Max Fly Traps should I use?

A: The number of traps needed is dependent on two factors: Square footage and the degree of fly infestation in the area. Generally, we recommend two traps per average patio/home use, camping areas, outdoor activities, picnics, etc.. For use in heavily infested or larger or rural areas, kennels, stables, food service, large backyards, outdoor parties, we recommend one trap per 25 square feet.

At our kennel and boarding facility, we use 3 traps in the kennel run areas, and 2 traps directly outside of the front and back doors of the barn. These five traps maintain an area approximately 1 acre. We have a moderate to heavy insect problem in this area, due to heavily wooded areas directly adjacent to the kennel area and large amounts of livestock on neighboring farms.

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Q: I noticed after the first few weeks of catching thousands of flies, the trap now seems to be catching fewer insects. Why is this?

A: Congratulations, the breeding cycle of the insects in your area has been broken! Once egg laying flies are caught, insects which would have been reproducing countless others are no longer in the reproductive chain, permanently disrupting the breeding cycle. This drastically reduces the future fly population in the area. It may seem that the trap is not working as efficiently as it was, but this is actually because there are substantially fewer flies where the trap has been in use.

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When is the best time of day or year to use the Rid-Max Fly Trap?

A: Ideally, the Rid-Max Fly Traps should be set up in early Spring and left out until the fly season is over. This allows the traps to catch the breeding flies early in the fly season and drastically reduce the fly population before it peaks in the summer months. For areas with climates that cause year round fly problems, leave the traps out all year long. The traps should remain in place 24 hours a day (to catch early morning and late evening insects, as well) and be freshly baited each day.

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Q: What is the best location in which to place the Rid-Max Fly Trap?

A: The best place to use the Rid-Max Fly Trap is on the perimeter of the area where you need fly control. Example: if you have problems with flies entering your house each time someone goes in or out, put traps nearby, but a few feet away, from your doors. First, this ensures the bait under the trap will attract flies away from the home and its doorways. Next, these flies are lured into the trap, preventing them from ever becoming a nuisance again.

The same goes if fly control is needed in any outdoor building, such as a stable or barn. A few traps outside of the building's doors will attract flies away from entering the barn at all. Then, if necessary for heavily infested areas outdoor buildings, place a few traps indoors, which will catch any that have managed to find their way in.

For parties, camping, and other outdoor activities, we recommend setting traps up around the perimeter of the area needing fly control. We also recommend setting up the traps as soon as you can, at least a few hours ahead of the event, if possible . This ensures most of the flies will be trapped beforehand.

For best results, place a trap in full sun or partially sunlit areas. The trap still will work in shady areas, but we've found most flies are fond of areas in full or partial sunlight, and the bait seems to be more effective in these areas, as well.

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Q: Traps I've used with any liquid baits are messy, smelly, and have proven to be a problem when used within the same area as my pets. Will I experience the same types of problems with the Rid-Max?

A: We agree that traps using the liquid baits are not the most pleasant to be around. This is one of the reasons we came up with the Rid-Max Fly Trap. First off, the Rid-Max does NOT use liquid bait in which the captured insects drown. The Rid-Max Fly Trap is a dry trap. Insects dehydrate and dry out within a day, leaving only desiccated insects trapped inside. There is no smelly liquid mixed with dead insects to "stew" and daily grow more rancid.

Also, if you absolutely must use your trap in an area where a curious pet may happen by, problems with animals going after the bait are alleviated by using bait that is unattractive to pets, yet attractive to flies. We've found a small bit of dog manure to be the best bait for the fly species in our area, and thankfully, our pets are not fond of their own droppings. Whatever bait is chosen, using only the small amount that is necessary as a lure will ensure no disagreeable odor to humans...but droves of flies will definitely be able smell the bait. A bait tray can be attached under your trap and rigged to hang off the ground. Or simply place the trap in areas where pets or wildlife will not come into contact with them.

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Q: Will the trap catch biting or meat-eating flies?

A: Yes, the Rid-Max Fly trap will catch these insects, too. For greatest success, the trap should be baited with a raw meat type product. For example, raw hamburger, raw meat bones, raw meat/fish scraps, or raw egg work well. However, we have caught biting flies and meat eating bees using the dog manure bait, as well.

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Q: How can I keep from releasing any live flies when it's time to empty my trap?

A: If you desire to eliminate the live flies before emptying, we recommend spraying the insects with a harmless soap and water solution. You can also submerse your trap for a few minutes in a bucket of water. Do NOT spray the trap with pesticide or fly spray to kill the trapped flies. This not only defeats the purpose of environmentally safe trapping without the use of chemicals, but also will leave a residue on the trap deterring insects from going near that trap in the future.

Many find the trap useful for trapping and catching live insects to feed their reptile, fish, bird, or amphibian pets. Just pop the bottom cone out inside your pet's habitat and they have live bugs on which to feed.

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Q: I won't be taking my trap down at all, how can I permanently secure the legs on it?

A: The Rid-Max Fly Trap is made to disassemble easily so it is collapsible and portable. This allows the trap collapse flat for storage or travel, if desired. However, if you don't want to take your trap down and would like it permanently assembled, you can put a drop of instant glue into each of the leg holes at the top of the trap. This will prevent the legs from coming out of the holes in the top ring.

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Q: The rods keep falling out of the top ring, why aren't they staying in the holes?

A: If you experience a problem with rods falling out, you are NOT assembling the trap completely or correctly. You must insert the legs of the trap (rods) thoroughly into the top ring holes – this means pushing them all they way in until they “pop in” and do not fall out. The reason some customers are having this “problem” is that they are not pushing the rods in all the way.

There are “grommets” inside of the (4) holes in the top ring where the rods are inserted; they are there to make sure the rods do NOT fall out if properly inserted. If you look carefully at the 4 holes in the top ring where the rod is to be inserted, you will notice these little “grommets” or plugs in the 4 rod holes.

[The top holes in which the rods are to be inserted are in a direct line with the “feeder holes” on the bottom ring. These are the holes where the rods are to be inserted --- NOT the other holes on the top ring which are not aligned with the bottom holes—these other holes are simply there for people to use to hang to hang their trap. ]

When you insert the rods into the top ring holes, the grommets add a type of “spring action” so you may have to use a little effort to get those rods in there – press firmly on the rods till you feel them pop into the holes. Once they are inserted correctly, they will not fall out! Yet the rods can still be removed easily for storage or portability. 

Again, because it now requires a little more effort to push the rods into the holes, some customers may think that they are inserted all the way, but in actuality they are not. I realize it does require a little effort to “pop” the rods into the holes now, but once popped in correctly, they will NOT fall out. You will still be able to easily pull the rods out afterward if you wish to disassemble your trap.

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Q: Sometimes on very windy days or during storms I find my trap tipped over. What should I do to prevent this?


A: If this happens to you, we recommend placing on top of the trap a small piece of wood, small brick, or other object that is slightly longer than the width of the assembled trap. This extra weight cures the problem of the trap flying away or tipping over during storms. Another remedy for this, (if the trap is used on soft dirt or grass) is to simply push the feet of the trap slightly into the ground. In this way the trap's feet/legs are used as anchors.

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Q: How do I become a distributor for the Rid-Max Fly Trap? Can I receive discounts for bulk purchases?

A: If you are a manufacturer representative or distributor interested in adding the Rid-Max Fly Trap to your product line, please e-mail, write, call or fax for more information and our Distributor Price List which offers great discounts and incentives for bulk purchases.
 

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Revised: 11/14/06.
 
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Revised: 03/04/2007
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