Conceptualization, design and construction of a novel insect mass trapping device: the USDA Biomass Harverst Trap (USDA-BHT)

Authors: Cohnstaedt, Lee; LADO, PAULA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); Ewing, Robert; Cherico, Jason; Wagner Iii, Roy; Brabec, Daniel - Dan; Shults, Phillip; CHASKOPAOULU, ALEXANDRA - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL)

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2024
Publication Date: 7/4/2024
Citation: Cohnstaedt, L.W., Lado, P., Ewing, R.D., Cherico, J.A., Wagner Iii, R.R., Brabec, D.L., Shults, P.T., Chaskopaoulu, A. 2024. Conceptualization, design and construction of a novel insect mass trapping device: the USDA Biomass Harverst Trap (USDA-BHT). Journal of Economic Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae129.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae129

Interpretive Summary: The use of insects as animal feed has the potential to be a green revolution for animal agriculture as insects are a rich source of high-quality protein. One avenue is to harvest insect pests from the environment and use them as animal feed. But to do that, we need the tools to collect large amounts of pests. This paper reports the development and design of an insect trap (USDA-BHT) to be used to collect flying nuisance and insect pests from the environment with the objective of using the collected flying insects as a protein complement for animal diets. Trap design and components are described in detail, as well as trap functionality.

Technical Abstract: The use of insects as animal feed has the potential to be a green revolution for animal agriculture as insects are a rich source of high-quality protein. Insect farming is growing insects to produce high-quality protein for animal feed or human food, whereas insect harvesting is collecting insects from their natural habitats. Insect farming must overcome challenges such as product affordability and scalability. An alternative is to harvest insect pests from the environment and use them as animal feed. Intensive agricultural environments generate large quantities of pestiferous insects and with the right harvest technologies these insects can be used as a protein supplement in traditional animal daily rations. The United States Department of Agriculture – Biomass Harvest Trap (USDA-BHT) was developed to efficiently attract, harvest, and store insects from naturally abundant agricultural settings. The trap offers a modular design with adjustable capabilities, and it is an inexpensive device that can easily be built with commonly available parts and tools. The USDA-BHT is also user friendly and has customizable attractants to target various pest species.