Tuesday 5th April:
There were 23 of us on this morning’s walk from Dronfield Woodhouse and round by Monk Wood, Barlow Lees and Cowley – about 5 miles. A dull but fine day and none of the forecast showers. We are all still getting use to the wide open spaces in the wood since so many of the trees have ben felled.
Plenty of white Wood Anemones around and we saw our first ( and few) bluebells down near Barlow Bridge – where the humble fishing ponds have now become the rather grand sounding Barlow Country Club – though no changes visible from our viewpoint
Heading back up towards Barlow Lees farm , I noticed an unfamiliar object in the field and asked for ideas what it might be – suggestions ranged from a sculpture a horse lick and a confident call for a pheasant feeder.Uncertainty remained so one of the group whipped out a phone and used Google lens to come up with the definitive answer- a Gadfly Trap!! At 2.2 metres high and 91cm diameter is this the biggest fly trap ever I wonder.
We all felt much better for knowing that useful information and carried on our way back to Dronfield !
David Blackburn
This gadfly trap can be used wherever gadflies are a nuisance: horse paddocks, riding arenas, cowsheds, golf courses, gardens and parks along lakes and river banks, etc.
The functions as follows: the sun heats the black ball and thus simulates a target for blood-sucking for the gadfly. When the gadfly realises that the attempt is unsuccessful, the insect instinctively flies up and lands inevitably in the trap. This trap reduces the gadfly presence in the immediate vicinity by up to 95%, and has a maximum effective range of approximately 10,000 m².It stands 2.5m high