Electric Fly Killers and Insect Light Traps: Correct Use

Insect light traps (ILTs) attract flying pests with ultraviolet light, then capture them on a discreet glue board. In food areas, choose glue-board units rather than electrocuting 'zappers', which can scatter insect fragments over food. Position traps away from exposed food and external openings, mount them at the recommended height, replace UV lamps roughly yearly, and log servicing as part of your pest program under Standard 3.2.2. Key takeaways: Use glue-board insect light traps in food areas; electrocuting 'zappers' can scatter insect fragments onto food.. Position traps a few metres inside entrances and never directly above exposed food or food-contact surfaces.. Replace UV-A lamps about once a year - they stop attracting insects long before they stop glowing.. Traps are one part of pest control under Standards 3.2.2 and 3.2.3, not a substitute for screens, seals and cleaning.. Record servicing and catch counts so you can act on trends and show due diligence.. Zapper or glue-board: which trap belongs in a food area Insect light traps use ultraviolet-A light to lure flying insects, but they capture them in two very different ways, and the difference matters for food safety. Electrocuting units - the traditional 'fly killers' or 'zappers' - kill insects against a high-voltage grid. The impact can shatter the insect and fling fragments, scales and even bacteria a short distance, which is unacceptable over exposed food or clean equipment. Glue-board (adhesive) traps instead draw insects onto a concealed sticky board where they are held intact. Because nothing is blasted apart, there is far less risk of contaminating food, packaging or preparation surfaces. For this reason, glue-board units are the sensible default for kitchens, preparation areas and any space where food is open. If you already run electrocuting units, keep them well away from food and consider replacing them with glue-board models when they reach end of life. Whichever style you choose, the trap should be a commercial food-grade design intended for food premises, not a domestic patio device. Position traps where they help, not where they harm Placement decides whether a trap protects your food or quietly creates a hazard. Never mount a trap directly above or beside exposed food, open packaging, preparation benches, clean crockery or the service pass. Anything the trap catches - or any fragment or fluid - must not be able to fall onto food or food-contact surfaces. Keep traps back from external doors, windows and roller shutters as well. A brightly glowing unit right next to an opening can actually attract insects in from outside rather than intercept the ones already indoors. Position interception traps a few metres inside entry points, so pests are drawn away from the door and toward the trap. Think in layers: one set of traps near delivery and entry zones to catch incoming insects, and a separate set protecting the boundary of food-preparation areas. Traps should be visible to staff for monitoring but discreet enough that they are not a focal point in customer-facing spaces. Get the height, light and coverage right Flying insects tend to cruise at low-to-mid height, so most wall-mounted traps work best when the lamp sits roughly between waist and head height - commonly around 1.5 to 2 metres - rather than up near the ceiling. Follow the manufacturer's stated mounting height and coverage area, and don't expect a single unit to protect a large room. Competing light undermines a trap. If daylight from a window or a bright fitting overpowers the trap's UV output, insects are less likely to choose the trap. Where practical, place traps away from strong natural light, since units are most effective in shaded or dim positions. Match the number and rating of units to the size and risk of the area. A large production space needs planned coverage rather than one trap by the door. Your pest-control contractor can advise on how many units, and where, based on the layout and insect pressure at your site. Maintain lamps, boards and trays on schedule A neglected trap is close to useless. The UV-A lamps that attract insects lose their pulling power long before they stop glowing to the human eye, so tubes generally need replacing about once a year - ideally in late winter or early spring, before the warm-season insect peak. Diarise lamp changes so they don't get forgotten just as demand rises. Service the catch mechanism on a regular cycle. Replace glue boards before they fill with insects, dust or grease, because a saturated board stops catching. For electrocuting units, empty and clean the collection tray frequently so debris cannot build up, decompose or attract secondary pests such as beetles. Keep the whole unit clean and in working order. Wipe housings, check that the lamp actually illuminates, and make sure the trap is switched on and left on - including overnight, when many flying pests are active. Record each service so you can show the trap is being maintained, not just installed. Make traps part of an integrated pest program Under Standard 3.2.2, food businesses must take all practicable measures to prevent pests on the premises, and Standard 3.2.3 requires premises and equipment to be designed and kept so pests can be excluded and controlled. Insect light traps are one tool within that duty - a monitoring and interception aid, not the whole program. Treat traps as part of a documented pest-management system. Keep a simple record of where each unit is, when lamps and boards were changed, and what the traps are catching. A rising catch count, or a sudden change in the type of insect, is an early warning that an entry point has opened up or that harbourage exists nearby. Use those observations to act. Feed trap findings back into your cleaning, waste-handling and maintenance routines, and share them with your pest-control provider so treatment targets the actual problem. Good records also help demonstrate due diligence to an authorised officer during an inspection. Know the limits: a trap is not a substitute for exclusion A light trap manages insects that are already inside; it does not stop them getting in. Physical exclusion always comes first - fly screens on openable windows, self-closing doors, sealed gaps around pipes and services, and air curtains or strip curtains at high-traffic doorways. Fix these before relying on a trap to mop up. Pair exclusion with sanitation. Flying pests are drawn to food residue, spills, overflowing bins and standing water, so tight cleaning schedules, prompt spill clean-up and well-managed waste storage do more to reduce numbers than any single device. A trap in a dirty kitchen will simply stay busy. Finally, choose and site equipment for the environment. Damp, dusty or wash-down areas need units rated for those conditions, and outdoor-facing zones may need a different approach entirely. When in doubt, get advice from a licensed pest-management technician who can assess your specific premises. Checklist: Glue-board units used in all food-handling and preparation areas. No trap mounted directly above or beside exposed food or food-contact surfaces. Traps positioned a few metres inside external doors, not right at the opening. Units mounted at the manufacturer's recommended height and coverage. UV-A lamps replaced roughly yearly, before the warm-season peak. Glue boards replaced and catch trays cleaned on a set schedule. Traps switched on continuously, including overnight. Servicing and catch counts recorded in the pest-management file. Common mistakes: Using an electrocuting 'zapper' directly over food, where fragments can scatter onto it. Mounting a bright trap right beside an external door, drawing insects in from outside. Leaving UV lamps in for years - they stop attracting insects long before they stop glowing. Letting glue boards or catch trays fill up, so the trap can no longer catch anything. Treating the trap as a complete solution instead of fixing screens, seals and cleaning. Switching traps off overnight, when many flying pests are most active.