Quick Dips

Operation Flytrack

MAFTech scientists are to try out a programme which may result in thousands of school pupils sending flies to Wallaceville. The programme, organised in conjunction with Teacher Support Services, will chart the prevalence of flies causing flystrike and moniter the spread of the Australian green blowfly, Lucilia cuprina.

The students involved will construct flytraps, collect and identify flies, and record weather conditions during the trapping period. The data and the green blowflies caught will then be sent to the Wallaceville Animal Research Centre.

As well as providing data for MAFTech, the project will allow students from over 3000 schools to engage in real science. If trials at the end of the year are successful, the project will be undertaken in the early part of 1992.

Peter Spratt, Wellington