Effects of Color, Pattern, and Sound on the Movement of Houseflies

Abstract

As diseases spread by flies have continuously increased in frequency since the 1970s, methods to control the flies’ motion have been studied. In this paper, a novel method is proposed by examining the impact of diverse sensory stimuli on houseflies’ motion. Among various patterns and colors, red striped pattern was the best as fly repellent, and the pattern of white circles on a blue background the best attraction. For sound, a frequency of 10 kHz and 20 kHz had repelling power. When examined for its relationship with the alluring smell of food, red stripes repelled more than 26.3% of flies from the smell. Under the same conditions, 10 kHz and 20 kHz each showed repelling power over about 19% in the presence of an olfactory luring factor. Therefore, the pattern of red stripes and the auditory stimuli of 10 kHz or 20 kHz should be incorporated into various aspects of our lives, along with the living environment of disease-stricken areas.