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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176795

Title: INSECT TRAP

Author
item Liu, Yong Biao

Submitted to: Patent Application
Publication Type: Patent Application
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2004
Publication Date: 7/27/2004
Citation: Liu, Y.B. 2004. Insect Trap. U.S. Patent 6,772,556.

Interpretive Summary: A trap for flying insects was invented. The trap provides a unique mechanism of separated layers of parallel strings across the opening of the trap to allow insects to land in the trap but prevent them from escape. The invented insect trap uses a physical barrier to prevent insects from escaping and differ from most other insect traps that use adhesives to immobilize insects. The trap also differs from traps with funnel structures to prevent insects from escaping. Comparing with funnel traps, the new trap can have large openings. The present invention has promising commercial potential. It can have different embodiments for varieties of insects including aphids, hoppers, locusts, beetles, flies, moths, and weevils. It may have different embodiments using a plural of insect attraction means including colors, pheromones, food attractant, and mates. The trap is simple in structure and therefore should be able to be manufactured easily.

Technical Abstract: The present invention is an insect trap that retains integrity of the insects for identification by using a physical barrier to prevent insects from escaping. The trap includes a barrier element, a housing element, and a plural of means to attract insects. The barrier element consists of a stack of two or more separated layers of parallel strings or one layer of parallel strings. The string is thin enough that insects to be caught cannot hold on the top to make an upward movement. Strings of each layer are so spaced that the insects will fall through and cannot hold on two strings. Strings of different layers orient at different angles and appear crisscrossed viewed from above. More layers of strings reduce the chance of insect escape. The housing element has a bottom, sidewalls, a top with a large opening, and a plural of means to prevent insects from crawling out from the opening. The means to prevent crawling out of insects include one or more dark grooves open downward around the opening. The barrier element is positioned inside the housing element directly below the opening and above the bottom. The means to attract insects includes yellow color on the bottom of the housing element. Insects attracted by yellow color land in the trap through the opening and the barrier element and they are prevented from jumping or flying out by the barrier element or crawling out the opening and thereby trapped.