Evaluating the Efficiency of Baited BioFlyTrap P38T, H-Trap, and Nzi and Vavoua Traps Towards Biting Flies of Glossinidae, Tabanidae and Muscidae (Stomoxyini) Families in Northeastern KwaZulu-Natal

In efforts to survey biting flies, there is a need for a multi-species trap that can capture diverse families of hematophagous flies, thus functioning as a more robust and representative trapping method. The current study evaluated the efficiency of the baited P38T BioFlyTrap with other standard traps, namely the H-trap used in South Africa, the Vavoua (West/Central Africa), and the Nzi (East Africa), in informing decision-making to undertake enhanced surveillance and control interventions against biting flies in South Africa. A comparative study was done using a 4 × 4 Latin Square Design (LSD) approach over a period of 16 days in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal. The H-trap was most efficient for Glossinidae, while the Nzi trap caught the most diverse species dominated by Tabanidae. The P38T BioFlyTrap showed moderate performance across all categories (Glossinidae, Tabanidae, Muscidae (Stomoxyini)) of biting flies. The Vavoua trap was the least effective trap for Glossinidae and Tabanidae, but was relatively effective for Stomoxyini. In this environment, baited P38T BioFlyTrap would be useful for broader spectrum surveillance, while baited H-trap and Nzi remain specifically more performant, respectively for Glossinidae and Tabanidae.