FR2747013A1 - FLYING INSECT TRAPS WITH AT LEAST TWO DIRECTIONAL LIGHT PATTERNS - Google Patents

Abstract

An insect trap (400) using attractant light, comprising a source of insect attractant light and a housing (404) that can be mounted on a generally planar or flat mounting surface. The housing (404) and the source of light cooperate to form a bidirectional or a multidirectional (overlapping or non-overlapping) pattern of insect attractant light. The housing comprises one, two or more openings for the insect attractant light (401) that is reflected and radiated onto the flat mounting surface. The housing and the source of insect attractant light can cooperate to form a light pattern directed in a continuous display pattern that can surround the housing. The housing openings further facilitate the entry of flying insect pests into the trap. As the insects enter the trap, they are immobilized on an insect immobilization surface mounted within the trap. Cooperation between the direct radiant light, reflected light and the position of the housing and insect immobilization surface forms at least two (preferably non-overlapping) light displays that can substantially increase capture rates when compared to prior traps. The trap can also display a light pattern substantially surrounding the trap housing.

Description

FLYING INSECT TRAPS WITH AT LEAST TWO
DIRECTIONAL LIGHT PATTERNS
The present invention relates to a light trap capable of attracting flying insects and immobilizing the insects in a housing of the trap. The trap uses a housing containing a light attracting insects. The housing and associated internal reflective surfaces produce a multidirectional light pattern on a flat mounting surface, such as a wall or ceiling. The pattern may contain one, two, three or more, overlapping or non-overlapping light displays, generally positioned in arbitrary directions. In a two-way trap, the direction of light from the displays on the planar mounting surface are positioned at an angle of 1800. Such a configuration can increase capture rates. In other traps having three or more light displays, the light patterns can be positioned at regular intervals or arbitrarily positioned. The invention also relates to a flying insect trap using illumination in a pattern substantially surrounding the trap in order to attract flying insects.

 A number of flying insect traps using attractive light sources have been proposed in the prior art. Insect-O-Cutor fly traps produced by I-O-C use an exposed bulb with a high-voltage electrocution system. Pickens and Thimijan present exposed light sources emitting UV radiation and electrified grids to trap and electrocute flying insects. Another trap system generally uses ultraviolet black light sources exposed frontally or horizontally in order to attract insects into the trap. In the trap, the insects land on an electric grid at the back of the housing.

The grid delivers a low-voltage pulse that causes insects to land on a non-toxic adhesive trap plate. The captured insects can then be removed with the peel-off adhesive sheet. Likewise, Grothaus et al., US patent No. 4,696,126, presents an adhesive bulb trap exposed. Lazeroni, Sr. Et al., US patent No.
Of the 325 954, presents an exposed bulb trap facing generally forward.

Aiello et al., US Patent No. 4,959,923 approximates that of Lazzeroni, Sr. Et al., US Patent No. Des 325,954, by the use of a source of ultraviolet light and electrical pulses to stun the insects and an adhesive trap. Likewise, Gilbert's insect light traps use exposed light bulbs and open entry areas, usually from the front, to trap flies. These traps attract pests to the trap using light directed into a room from the trap. Hollingsworth and Hartstack, Jr., present data on the effectiveness of various components of exposed bulb fly traps.

 Larkin, US Patent No. 4,949,501 and the ARP Venus Flylite system have an attractive light source. The light source and its housing are articulated on wall mounting means so that the unit can be used in vertical mode, in which the light source is parallel to the vertical surface and is placed at an angle of 90 "to the horizontal surface perpendicular to a vertical surface. In this so-called "invisible" mode, used during the day, the trap is designed to keep the functional components of the fly trap away from detection. The fly trap can be placed in "turbo" mode, in which the light source and the housing are perpendicular to the vertical surface and horizontal to the ground (or at an angle greater than 90 "from the vertical surface) , so as to expose the light directly to the view in the installation site, which is said to increase the number of insects attracted.

 White, US Patent No. 4,876,822, discloses a flying insect unit comprising a rectangular housing enclosing a light source and an adhesive trapping surface. The housing elements are either parallel or perpendicular to the vertical mounting surface. Nelson et al US Patent No. 5,365,690 has a housing forming a pattern of light attracting insects to a mounting surface.

 We have developed an improved flying insect trap that uses an improved and surprisingly effective display of radiated and reflected light directed in at least two overlapping or non-overlapping directions. The display may project patterns of attractive light onto a flat mounting surface such as a wall or ceiling that are directed in directions opposite the trap.

 In addition, the invention may involve the formation of a display of three light patterns on the planar surface. Each pattern is directed to form non-overlapping patterns with a spacing of 1200. Additionally, the inventive light trap may contain four separate patterns formed on the planar surface at intervals of about 90 "around Additionally, this trap can project five, six, seven or more separate patterns from a central housing to form an attractive light pattern on a flat surface.

 Another embodiment of the flying insect trap according to the present invention is a trap which forms a continuous pattern of light around a central housing.

The shape of any light pattern of any of the embodiments discussed may vary depending on the source of light attracting insects, the position of the trap and the light source, the size of the trap, the shape and reflectivity of the internal components of the housing and the geometry of the substantially planar mounting surface. Depending on the design features of the case and any reflective surface inside the case, the shape of the light pattern attracting insects on the wall can be configured according to any arbitrarily chosen pattern such as a generally rectangular pattern, a overall "fan" pattern, generally oval or elliptical patterns, or in a substantially circular pattern. When using a housing which forms a continuous pattern of light around the housing, the housing can be circular, oval, triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc., the continuous pattern of light can be formed using a light source substantially circular such as a circular fluorescent tube or may be formed by multiple light sources which form the substantially continuous display using overlapping light patterns.

 We have discovered that the light, to be attractive in most installation areas and sites, must have a level of illumination that is at least about 50 lux (5 candle-feet) inside the attractive pattern. formed on the wall. We have discovered that the illumination obtained by the fly traps of the present invention involves a housing which is configured to ensure that the bulk of the radiant energy emitted by the attractive light source falls on the mounting surface. substantially flat (usually a ceiling or wall surface) associated with the trap. In the vicinity of the trap, the illumination can be relatively high, around 200 to 500 lux (or 20 to 50 candle-feet) of radiated light energy or more with typical fluorescent tube sources. As the distance between a measurement point and the fly trap increases, the illumination decreases so that at a certain point distant from the trap the illumination is less than about 50 lux (5 candle-feet). Generally, the attractive light patterns can be a regular shape such as a circular pattern, a square pattern or can be of arbitrary geometry or else generally triangular, rectangular, oval, ellipsoidal, fan or circular, etc. We also discovered that it is important that the insect immobilizing surface is installed inside the housing and associated with the light attracting insects.

 Insect pests tend to land on the vertical mounting surface or to fly directly into the trap. When the insects walk or fly in the trap, they tend to fly towards the light attracting the insects and, once in the trap, by flying or moving at random, they are very likely to be immobilized on the immobilization surface of 'insects. Internal reflective surfaces of the housing, loose or mounted, reflective surfaces and other aspects of the trap add reflected light to the radiated light to form patterns of attractive light on the substantially planar mounting surface. We have discovered that the open entrance passage to access inside the means for immobilizing insects in the trap adjacent to the light pattern improves the capture rates. The flying insect traps of the present invention are typically mounted on a vertical plane such as a wall surface or a substantially planar ceiling surface. The flying insect trap should be mounted so that all or a substantial part of the reflected light and the radiated light falls on the mounting surface to form an attractive light pattern.

 In the present application, the expression “multidirectional” flying insect trap can include both insect traps having two, three, four or more discrete flying insect trapping patterns which do not overlap.

The term "multidirectional" may also include flying insect traps having two, three, four or more discrete but overlapping patterns. As the number of patterns increases, the patterns tend to merge into overlapping patterns and when the insect trap includes a large number of patterns, the patterns merge into a substantially continuous pattern that substantially surrounds the trap.

For the purposes of the present application, the term "continuous" indicates that the light coming from the trap is directed in a pattern which illuminates the planar mounting surface (such as a ceiling or a wall) in a pattern which substantially surrounds the trap. Such a substantially continuous pattern may include slight shadows due to the mounting supports, lampposts, cables or other electrical or mechanical aspects of the housing, the mounting means, the lighting fixing supports or any other aspect of the invention. Furthermore, for the purposes of the present application, the term "substantially planar" designates that the flying insect trap according to the present invention can very well be mounted on a surface. These surfaces can have curved parts such as a circular or elliptical pillar or column. However, as long as it is possible to mount the trap on such a surface and form the multidirectional light pattern, such a surface can be considered to be substantially planar. For the purposes of this application, when the trap is installed in certain preferred orientations, the light inside the trap cannot be viewed from a position normal to the trap.

 The term "normal" indicates that the position of the observer forms an angle of 90 "from the intersection of two lines drawn on the mounting surface intersecting at the trap with an angle of 90".

 Figures 1 to 7 each show an embodiment of the fly trap of the invention. In each figure, the geometry of the trap forms two or more patterns of light or a continuous pattern of light surrounding the trap intended to attract insects.

The figures also show the installation of a light source attracting insects and different locations of the insect immobilization surface.

 The improved fly traps of the present invention include a housing, a light source attracting insects and at least one means for immobilizing flies. The housing may contain two, three, four or more reflective surfaces which ensure that the majority of the light radiated from the insect-attracting light source is radiated and reflected to form the attractive light pattern on the substantially planar mounting surface. The attractive light display attracts flies to the fly trap. Flies tend to land on the illuminated pattern, the case, or other surfaces of the trap. The insect immobilization surface is positioned to ensure that the flying insect pests are mostly immobilized in the trap after being attracted to the trap.

 We have discovered that some of the light radiating from the light source is reflected on the inner surface of the housing and all other reflective surfaces disposed in the housing and appears on the planar mounting surface with the light directly radiated. The reflected light and the radiated light form an attractive light pattern on the associated flat surface. The housing directs either two or more distinct patterns of light onto the reflecting surface or a light pattern which substantially surrounds the housing of the trap. According to a first embodiment of the trap of the invention, the housing can contain a light source attracting insects and two reflecting surfaces which form patterns of light attracting opposite reflected and radiated insects (separated by 1800 on the flat surface) . When using a single light source, the easiest trap to configure is a trap whose attractive light pattern directions are positioned in opposite directions, however the light directions in the pattern can be at any arbitrary angle and can overlap or form separate patterns. The angle of the directions between the individual light paths can be from 10 to 15 or up to 1800. The choice of the housing comprising the reflective surfaces and of a light source attracting insects must be made in order to guarantee that the patterns of Attractive light trained have at least an energy of 50 lux (5 candle-feet) in a pattern. This surface luminosity or light intensity is important for maintaining effective fly capture rates. According to an alternative embodiment, the bidirectional light trap having two attractive light patterns can use two or more light sources attracting insects to ensure that the illumination or surface intensity of the attractive light patterns is sufficient. to achieve effective catch rates.

 The second embodiment of the invention may include one or more light sources attracting insects and a housing that cooperates with the light to form three distinct patterns of light attracting insects on the planar mounting surface. The housing can be triangular and can be configured relative to the light source attracting insects so that the light patterns are formed on the wall in patterns which are separated around the housing by an angle of about 1200. The angles between the patterns can be less than 1200. In addition, the regular positioning of the light patterns around the trap increases the surface of the attractive light patterns and also seems to increase or optimize the capture rates.

 According to another embodiment of the present invention, one or more light sources attracting insects, preferably four sources, are positioned in a housing such that four light patterns attracting insects formed from the radiated light and reflected light are positioned around the housing.

The light patterns are positioned with a separation distance of pattern directions of 90 "around the housing which can take the form of a square or a rectangle. The geometry of this preferred embodiment of the housing of the invention can provide two, three, four, five or more distinct light patterns arranged around a central housing separated by a regular angle to create displays of insect-attracting light with an optimized surface area with illumination greater than a power of 50 lux (5 candles-feet).

 As the number of light surfaces increases, the patterns of the display may merge into an insect-attracting light display arranged substantially continuously around the housing. It follows that an important embodiment of the present invention is a flying insect trap housed in a housing which comprises such a housing of the circular, oval, ellipsoidal or other type which cooperates with a light source attracting the insects which forms an attractive pattern that surrounds the housing with a light pattern attracting insects. Depending on the geometry of the case, the shape of the light pattern can be arbitrarily chosen by the craftsman of ordinary skill. However, we have discovered that the preferred shape of the light pattern is circular, oval, ellipsoidal, etc. in a regular geometric shape in which the light pattern has a brightness greater than 50 lux (5 candles-feet).

 The housing can be mounted on a vertical flat surface such as a wall or on a horizontal flat surface such as a ceiling. The trap can be mounted so that some of the insect-attracting light falls on both a wall surface and a ceiling surface or other common surface in the environment of the trap.

The light source useful in the insect attracting trap of the invention comprises at least one ultraviolet light source. These sources are designed to provide a substantial amount of ultraviolet light but may also have some of the reflected light and the radiated light that falls in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, other than the part of the ultraviolet. Such light sources are usually electrically powered incandescent or fluorescent light sources which can emit a wide spectrum of wavelengths but are mainly optimized to emit ultraviolet light. For the purposes of the present invention, ultraviolet light includes electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths between 400 nm and 4 nm, which have been found to attract flying pests. Light sources commonly provide from about 0.5 to about 100 watts of light output, preferably light provides from about 0.5 to about 75 watts or more. Preferred light sources are fluorescent light sources having sufficient power to form an attractive light pattern having a brightness greater than about 50 lux (5 candle-feet). The trap can use a single source or two or more sources arranged horizontally, vertically or diagonally in the housing. The light source may have a linear or curvilinear shape or configuration (i.e. circular or oval or ellipsoidal) and may also be the most recent fluorescent tubes which are screwed into a socket for a screw type incandescent bulb , called compact screw-in fluorescent bulbs. These tubes can be used with housings adapted to their particular bulb geometry.

 The light source or sources are substantially housed in a housing having a reflective internal surface. In preferred enclosures, when the enclosure is mounted in a fly-catching environment, occupants of the environment are not typically exposed to direct light radiation. As a result, the housing substantially surrounds the light source attracting the insects so as to be out of sight of the individuals present in the environment while optimizing the size of the attractive light pattern on the planar mounting surface. In addition, the housing, while surrounding the light source attracting insects, serves as an inlet passage for flying pests. Consequently, the opening must have a sufficient surface and must not be a barrier preventing the entry of harmful insects, nor prevent these harmful insects from being immobilized on the surfaces of immobilization of insects inside. of the trap. The housing can be configured with the light pattern of the trap positioned at any arbitrary angle to the vertical. The housing can be positioned so that the direction of a light pattern from a source on a flat surface has a vertical orientation, or any other arbitrary angle chosen during installation of the trap.

 The light traps of the present invention form two or more patterns of light attracting insects to the vertical mounting surface. Although patterns can be displayed on the planar surface at regular intervals around the trap, patterns can be formed on the mounting surface at virtually any relative angle.

 The light source is substantially enclosed in a housing having a reflective internal surface.

 The housing can take virtually any arbitrary shape compatible with the use of the housing and reflective surfaces to reflect and radiate light on the mounting surface to attract flying insects. The housing can be a regular shape including a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a parallelogram, a circle, an oval, an ellipse, a shape of a drop, a star or can have an irregular or amorphous shape.

 The housing is commonly made from commonly available structural materials including a charged or uncharged thermoplastic such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (polyester PET), poly (acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene), etc. ; metallic materials such as aluminum, magnesium or associated alloys, steel, stainless steel or other associated ferrous alloys; wood and wood products; reinforced thermoplastics or thermosetting materials; cardboard, compressed cardboard, corrugated cardboard and virtually any other material that can form a housing with sufficient structural integrity for the housing to withstand installation, bulb replacement, installation and surface removal insect immobilization, cleaning and other maintenance or routine work.

 The interior of the housing can be highly or at least partially reflective.

The housing can be made with a bright white, white or ecru material which can reflect the incident radiation to form a pattern. These materials can include pigments such as titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate or another white mineral which tends to reflect a large part of the incident radiation. In addition, the housing can be painted or covered with reflective materials. A number of highly reflective white paints can be used which reflect substantially all of the incident ultraviolet radiation. In addition, metallic surfaces can be introduced, made from thin sections of metal, metallized polyester or any other shiny metallic surface. Specific examples of these reflective layers are aluminum foil, metallized polyester, glossy white reflective panels containing a substantial proportion of white pigment with titanium dioxide, silver glass mirrors or other associated highly reflective surfaces.

 A housing can also contain at least one means for immobilizing insects. For the purposes of the present invention, the term "means for immobilizing insects" covers any device or surface which can prevent flies from leaving the fly trap after entering it. These immobilization means can comprise pesticides in the form of a surface, a layer or a pesticide trap, active and passive mechanical traps, liquid traps in which the flies are embedded, adhesive layers to which the flies stick together, layers of pressure sensitive adhesive, high or low voltage electric grids or other such means which can trap, immobilize, kill or dismember harmful insects. The immobilization means can be installed on the housing, the mounting surface or any other location near the light or attractive light pattern.

 A preferred means of immobilizing insects for the purposes of the present invention comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface. The particularly preferred surface includes a surface of very tacky pressure sensitive adhesive which immobilizes the fly substantially as soon as the fly comes into contact with any part of the surface. The pressure sensitive adhesive surface can be made from various known pressure sensitive adhesive materials which are very tacky to the touch. One known adhesive of this type is the trap adhesive manufactured by The Tangle Company.

 The positioning of the means for immobilizing insects inside the housing is a design choice. The means can be positioned at virtually any location within the trap available for harmful flying insects. Insect pests can either fly in the trap or land on the vertical mounting surface or on the housing and can then walk or be carried in the insect immobilizing means by the operation of the trap. The preferred pressure-sensitive trapping adhesive can be positioned inside the trap on the vertical mounting surface, on the housing, on a trapping surface mounted directly near the light source attracting insects or at any another position inside the trap near which the flying insect pests attracted towards the pattern formed on the adjacent flat surface. The traps of the invention may include a chemical that attracts insects. Such chemicals are typically organic materials which are at least somewhat volatile and are products from food sources typical of insects or include a mixture of pheromones intended for specific pests inhabiting the environment of the trap.

 The insect trap in general or the insect immobilizing surface in particular may also include an effective amount of an insecticide. Various non-volatile insecticides in formulated compositions are known for their effectiveness against flying insects and most of them can be used. The preferred insecticide for use in the present invention is a non-volatile formulated insecticide composition which is suitable for killing harmful insects coming into contact. Such non-volatile insecticidal compositions are not released into the environment of the trap. These materials may include organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticide compositions. These materials can be mixed or formulated in the pressure sensitive adhesive on the insect immobilizing surface or can be installed separately at a location inside the trap.

 The preferred embodiment of the insect trap according to the present invention involves a geometry of the reflective surface (s) in the trap which forms two, three, four, five or more discrete areas of attractive light, up to a housing which displays a continuous light pattern around the housing. Most references in the prior art, however, are designed to direct their attractive light into the environment surrounding the light and not by radiating and reflecting the light on a flat mounting surface near the trap. Nelson et al., US Patent No. 5,365,690 presents a trap which forms a single pattern attracting insects on an adjacent wall surface.

 We have proposed an improved geometry of a housing compared to the traps of the prior art such that the attraction of the light pattern produces capture rates greater than the expected rates. By positioning two, three, four, five or more patterns of insect-attracting light around a housing to an insect-attracting pattern that surrounds the housing as a whole, substantially improved capture rates can be achieved. The internal geometry of the housing and any internal surface reflecting inside the radiation of light coming from the trap. Such screens or grids can be made from various materials including transparent, translucent or opaque materials. These materials include metallic threads, threads of synthetic or natural fibers, thermoplastic grids, metallic screens of expanded metal, etc.

 The insect trap of the present invention can be placed on a substantially horizontal planar surface. This surface can be adjacent to a second wall surface, adjacent to a ceiling surface or to any other internal surface of the environment of the fly trap. By positioning the fly trap in such a way that the fly trap can display a maximum surface area of light with a luminosity greater than 50 lux (5 candle-feet) ensures optimal capture rates. This light can be reflected and radiated on adjacent wall or ceiling surfaces without significantly reducing capture rates.

 We have also discovered in our research and development that a color contrast or apparent edge effect where the illumination ends abruptly or falls on a dark color can be attractive to flying pests. Very often, the contrast between a bright part and a relatively darker part at the level of a sliced edge can be recognized by flying pests and can be a feature that attracts them. These contrast or edge effects can be produced using very contrasting colors or textures for the formation of the trap and for the areas where the trap is installed.

 When the flying insect trap according to the present invention is installed in an environment of use, the trap may include mounting means which can be used to fix the flying insect trap of the invention on a flat surface such as a wall or a ceiling. These mounting means may include a mechanical system which can support the weight of the trap and can maintain the orientation of the trap and ensure that light forms useful attractive patterns on the surface. These traps can be fixed in place using a variety of mounting hardware, such as screws, bolts, nails, fasteners, flanges, etc. or can be temporarily placed in the operating environment using Velcro strips, pieces of pressure sensitive adhesive, urethane or epoxy construction adhesives, etc. An important feature of the mounting means of the fly trap of the invention is a choice of mounting means such that the trap is securely mounted on the wall or ceiling surface intended to receive the light coming from the trap to form a attractive light pattern.

In addition, the wall can be used to define the opening of the fly trap.

 The attractive illumination or light source may be mounted directly in the housing or may be mounted on the vertical walls or the ceiling surface surrounding the housing. Preferably, the light trap is a one-piece device whose light, reflective surfaces and means for immobilizing insects are fixed inside the housing. However, any part of the attraction system can be mounted on the vertical surface separately from the trap but preferably inside the housing. In the case of assembly in a single unit, the light source attracting insects can be placed in an optimal position with respect to the housing and any other additional reflecting surfaces in order to maximize the surface and the illumination of the attractive pattern. Likewise, the immobilization surface can be fixed at any location inside the housing. The immobilizing surface is preferably placed at a location inside the housing where immobilized pests are hidden from view when viewed from the position of people in the typical environment. Preferably, the immobilizing surfaces are placed directly opposite the opening of the trap through which light passes to form the attractive surface pattern. When pests enter by walking or flying in the trap from any arbitrary direction, they can then land on the illuminated pattern, on the housing or on any other interior or exterior surface. The insect immobilizing surface is placed in the trap so that the typical fly attracted by the light pattern at some point enters the trap and is fixed on the immobilizing surface. The insect trap housing includes at least one reflective surface which can be associated with the internal surface of the housing. The reflecting surface can have different configurations with respect to the light source attracting insects. The lights can be positioned vertically with respect to the reflecting surface so that the light is effectively radiated and reflected from the trap on the mounting surface. The housing designed to be placed on a vertical or horizontal surface can have different shapes when viewed from outside the trap. The shape of the housing can be chosen arbitrarily while maintaining the reflective internal surfaces of the trap so as to form a luminous pattern of two, three, etc. directions on the adjacent wall surface, while maintaining an arbitrary housing appearance that is generally circular, oval, ellipsoidal, square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, etc. The external surface or the internal reflecting surfaces may be flat, curved, angular or may have any shape which does not prevent effective reflection of light on the attractive pattern. The location of the trap on the vertical surface (wall) or on the ceiling is chosen arbitrarily. The location may be in an area to which flies seem to be attracted to the surrounding area. As a result, the trap can be mounted near windows, doors or ceiling lamps to which light attracts them. In addition, the traps can be placed near organic materials or heat sources which are also materials which attract known insects. Typically, the insect traps of the present invention are placed at eye level or above in the surrounding space. Such a position is more aesthetic and does not influence the catch rates.

Experimental part
Experiment with multiple UV light pattern
Context and objective
Ultraviolet light reflected and radiated on a wall, forming a unique "light pattern" above the top opening of an insect trap containing the ultraviolet light source, attracts flying insects (US Pat. Nos. 5,365 690 and No. 5 505 017). This experiment determines the effect of multiple "light patterns" formed through upper, side and lower openings on the attraction of flying insects in an insect trap.

Method
1) Four Stealth Decora Tm fly traps are arranged in two groups in a test "flight chamber" on a vertical mounting surface (wall painted white). A first group comprises four traps, arranged in a square arrangement, with the light patterns at right angles to an adjacent trap. The traps are placed with the light patterns directed away from the center of the arrangement. In a second group with a similar right angle arrangement, the light patterns of all the traps are directed towards the center of the group.

2) The ultraviolet light source is a 9 watt lamp (Osrqm Dulux
S, 9W / 78) in each Stealth Decora trap, for a total of 32 watts for the trap arrangements used.

 3) A single control trap includes a single Stealth Decora trap with four 9 watt lamps (32 watt total).

 4) House flies are released into the "flight chamber" to ensure a density of 0.1 flies per cubic foot and allowed to acclimate for two hours with food.

 5) The control and test layout configurations are put into practice in a completely randomized block design, one configuration on the wall at a time.

 6) Half an hour fly capture is measured for each configuration, then the configuration is changed to the next one as planned in the fully randomized block design, and half an hour fly capture is measured for this configuration, etc.

 7) At least four blocks are tested in order to obtain at least four repetitions for each configuration.

 8) The average and median capture rate per half hour are determined in order to evaluate the configuration performance.

Results
The catch of flies is surprisingly effective for the first group compared to the control.

 Figure 1 is a view of a bidirectional flying insect trap of the invention as seen when installed on a substantially planar vertical wall surface.

FIG. 1 represents a bidirectional trap 100. The bidirectional trap comprises a housing part 101 which contains a lamp and an immobilization strip. The housing 101 and 101a cooperates with the lamp to form two attractive light patterns which do not overlap 102 and 102a on the walls 105 and 105a.

 Figure 2 is an internal view of the housing 101 and 101a of Figure 1 in a horizontal installation. In the drawing, a trap is represented globally at 200. Inside the trap is represented a source of ultraviolet light attracting insects represented in the form of a fluorescent tube 102 held in a housing 101. An adhesive tape for immobilization insects 103 is represented inside the housing 101. The lamp and the housing and the reflecting surface 104 on the interior of the housing provide a display of reflected and radiated light 106 on the adjacent wall surface 105.

 Figure 3 shows a trap mounted on a wall with four overlapping patterns of light attracting flying insects. In Figure 3, the trap 300 is shown as a whole. The trap includes four fluorescent UV light sources attracting insects 301a, 301b, 301c, 301d. The lamps cooperate with the housing 304 to produce the attractive light patterns 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d.

 Figure 4 is a side view of the flying insect trap shown in Figure 3. The trap 300 includes a housing 304 which houses the lamps 301. The lamp and the housing cooperate to form the light pattern 302. The light pattern is formed by the light rays emitted by the fluorescent bulb and concentrated on the substantially flat mounting surface. The housing also houses an adhesive strip for immobilizing flying insects 303.

 Figure 5 is a view of a triangular flying insect trap 400 mounted on a vertical flat surface (wall). The trap housing 404 hides the fluorescent light emitting lamp attracting insects 404 which cooperates with the trap housing 404 to form the attractive light patterns 402a, 402b, 402c. The trap housing 404 also hides an insect immobilizing adhesive surface 403 which uses a pressure sensitive adhesive material to trap flying pests.

 Figure 6 is a view of a circular flying insect trap installed on a ceiling 606. The trap 600 includes a curved housing 603. The curvature of the housing is generally distant from the wall but can also be directed towards the wall. On the opposite side of the curved housing 603 is an insect securing adhesive sheet 601. The housing 603 and the electrical box 604 are attached to the vertical mounting surface using a pillar not shown. The cabinet 604 also supports an electric fluorescent device and the fluorescent tubes 602 which emit light attracting insects which forms a pattern on the ceiling 606.

 Figure 7 is a side view of the flying insect trap of Figure 6. The flying insect trap is mounted on the ceiling surface 606 using the electrical box 604 to secure the housing 603 in place. On the rear side of the housing is the surface of pressure-sensitive adhesive for immobilizing insects 601. The electric fluorescent tube drive equipment not shown and the fluorescent tubes providing the light attracting insects 602 are fixed to the cabinet. central electric 604.

The light from the lamps is directed onto the horizontal mounting surface (wall) to form the attractive light pattern 605.

 The above description, drawings and experience give a complete description of the manufacture and use of the apparatus according to the present invention. Since many embodiments can be realized without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, the invention is defined in the appended claims below.

Claims (19)

 1. Flying insect trap (100; 200; 300; 400; 600) using a display of light attracting insects, reflected and radiated on a substantially flat mounting surface, said trap comprising:  (a) means for mounting said flying insect trap on a surface of  editing (105, 105a; 606);  (b) at least one light source attracting insects (102; 301, 301 a, 301b, 301c, 301d; 404; 602);  (c) at least one surface for immobilizing insects (103; 303; 403,601); and  (d) a housing (101, 101a; 304; 404; 603) enclosing said source, said  housing comprising at least one internal reflecting surface (104)  positioned so that the light from the source is directed  in more than one directional light pattern, scattered attracting insects,  said pattern (102, 102a; 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d; 402a, 402b, 402c; 605)  with a brightness of at least 50 lux (5 candle-feet); and  characterized in that said trap forms at least two attractive light patterns.  2. Trap according to claim 1, characterized in that said light source attracting insects (102; 301, 301a, 301b, 301c, 301d; 404; 602) comprises at least one source of ultraviolet light.  3. Trap according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said reflecting surface is curved.  4. Trap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said light source attracting insects (102; 301, 301a, 301b, 301c, 301d; 404; 602) is not visible to the observer positioned on a line perpendicular to the mounting surface (105, 105a).  5. Trap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said housing comprises two openings.  6. Trap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said housing comprises an open rectangular parallelepiped, having two parallel surfaces having openings for light attracting insects  7. Trap according to claim 5, characterized in that it produces two light patterns, which are directed by the trap on the mounting surface and separated by 1800.  8. Trap according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it produces three light patterns, which are directed by the trap on the mounting surface and separated from 1200.  9. Trap according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it produces four light patterns, which are directed by the trap on the mounting surface and separated by 90.  10. Trap according to claim 7, characterized in that said bidirectional light patterns do not overlap.  11. Trap according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the shape of the trap is a regular geometric pattern.  12. Flying insect trap producing an insect-attracting light pattern displayed on a substantially planar mounting surface in a pattern that extends substantially continuously around the housing (101, 101a; 304; 404; 603), said trap including:  (a) means for mounting a flying insect trap (100; 200; 300  400; 600) on a substantially flat mounting surface (105, 105a;  606);  (b) light source attracting insects (102; 301, 301a, 301b, 301c,  301d; 404; 602);  (c) surface for immobilizing insects (103; 303; 403; 601); and  (d) a housing (101, 10 la; 304; 404; 603) having an inner surface  reflective positioned in relation to light attracting insects from  so that the light is directed onto the mounting surface substantially  flat, forming a pattern of reflected, radiated and scattered light  directly in a substantially continuous light pattern on the surface  mounting,  characterized in that the light pattern has a brightness of at least 50 lux (5 candle-feet) in a display.  13. A trap according to claim 12, characterized in that said fluorescent light attracting insects comprises at least one source of ultraviolet light.  14. A trap according to any one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that said source is a curved fluorescent tube which forms a substantially circular pattern.  15. Trap according to any one of claims 12, to 14 characterized in that said housing comprises a flat surface having a circular periphery.  16. Trap according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that said housing comprises a concave surface having a substantially parabolic curvature, with respect to the mounting surface,  17. A trap according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that said light pattern substantially forms an ellipsoidal pattern.  18. A trap according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the light forms a substantially annular pattern around a circular housing.  19. Trap according to any one of claims 12 to 18, characterized in that said annular light pattern is not concentric with the housing.