Trap Guides

An Overview of Monitoring Traps & Attractants Storage & Grain Beetles


GENERAL INFORMATION

Several different types of traps are available for monitoring beetles in storage areas, but deciding which trap is most effective and appropriate for any given situation means examining the advantages and disadvantages of each trap type. This guide highlights the features of each trap, so that technicians can choose the most appropriate monitoring trap for their situation.

When monitoring for a known insect, a pheromone lure is usually the best choice, however, when monitoring for the first time in a building, the use of a food attractant will give a broader picture of which insects are present. The food attractant may be less effective if the premises are already full of equally attractive foodstuffs, just as the pheromone traps will be if the storage beetles have already aggregated in certain food areas. In dusty locations, sticky traps will quickly dry out and become less effective, but these dusty conditions may not always be obvious at the time of setting up the traps. So, the choice of trap and attractant has to be made carefully by the technician once the pattern of operations has been studied.

More Information

Suggested Traps

PC Floor Trap

Product No.2050226F

Window Trap

Product No.2050221

Detector Trap

Product No.2050223

PC Pitfall Trap

Product No.2050226

PC FLOOR TRAP

This trap was developed by a government research Institute in the UK, and we have been testing it for the past two years. The food bait was also developed in the UK and we have found it to attract a number of different insects under our Canadian conditions. The trap is a tight fitting 2-piece plastic trap (similar to the PC Pitfall trap) with a perforated lid, which allows insects, attracted by the bait inside, to crawl into the trap. Since there is a coating of PTFE on the inside, the insects are unable to crawl back out through the holes, and remain alive inside the trap. It is therefore up to the technician to open the trap and identify the catch, which means that a magnifying lens and insect reference guide may be needed, and possibly a jar of soapy water in which to dispose of the live insects.

Pros

  • The trap is washable and re-usable.
  • It performs well under dusty conditions.
  • It attracts and captures a range of different insects, and is very visible
  • Can be used with a food attractant, a pheromone lure or both together.
  • The client can be shown a convincing example of the pest problem.

Cons

  • The single application cost is higher, so the trap has to be re-used to become cheaper.
  • The contents of the trap have to be identified and the live insects disposed of carefully.
  • Because of the tight fitting nature of this trap, the set-up time and inspection time may take longer.
WINDOW TRAP

This is a disposable card trap that gets its name from the clear plastic sheet on the top of the trap, which allows the observer to check the contents of the trap without touching it. The lip of the trap makes it easier for insects to climb into the trap, but more difficult for them to climb out again. The inside floor of the trap has a sticky surface which is well protected from dust by the 'window'. The usual source of attractant is a pheromone lure.

Pros

  • Good dust protection of the sticky surface.
  • Easy to see what has been caught without opening the trap.
  • Reasonable price with minimum assembly required.

Cons

  • Not a re-usable trap.
  • Generally used with a pheromone lure, so it attracts targeted pests only.
DETECTOR TRAP

This is a simple, inexpensive card trap that uses a pheromone lure on a sticky base surface. It is well suited for most applications, but is more prone to dust than other traps because of the open sides. Once the pest problem is identified, it is a good trap with which to maintain an on-going monitoring program.

Pros

  • Simple and cheap to apply, with minimal assembly required.
  • Can be used with either a pheromone lure or food attractant.
  • The insects are permanently caught on the glue-coated trap base.

Cons

  • In extremely dusty locations, the glue surface may become coated with dust and dry out.
PC PITFALL TRAP

This trap is similar in design to the PC Floor Trap, but is only used for monitoring grain beetles in bulk grain stores. The trap is usually baited by putting a small amount of crushed grain in the trap and then inserting the entire trap below the level of the grain in the storage container. A small flag, which stays on the surface of the grain, is attached to the trap so that it is easy to retrieve for monitoring. This plastic trap allows for washing and re-use.

DISH TRAPS & WALL TRAPS

Also available on the market are a number of open dish-type traps using a liquid attractant. These are probably best suited to domestic kitchens, since they are very prone to dust and dirt contamination as well as evaporation, and require more care in setting up. Also, pest identification is usually more difficult with wet specimens, and spillage can be a problem. The attractant in most of these traps is usually a food attractant such as wheat germ or sesame oil.

BLUNDER TRAPS

This is a term usually given to un-baited sticky traps. They are often used in museum display cases in the hope that any beetles present may blunder onto them by accident. Because of the rare nature of artefacts in museums, curators are anxious not to attract any additional beetles into the display cases by using a trap with an attractant. Clearly, the blunder trap isn't an effective monitoring system, but developed as a compromise that appealed to curators. It is now generally thought that a baited trap would be preferable in those situations.

Stealth Traps


GENERAL INFORMATION

Once a regular monitoring program has been established, it is wise to look at the channels of distribution and transportation of all raw materials and end products in and out of the plant. Cross-contamination can easily occur if products are in contact with infested products while in transit. The longer you maintain a monitoring program, the lower the population of moths will usually become, and in many situations, continuous monitoring will eliminate the need for additional treatment. There is always a risk of accidentally bringing in new infestations, especially if sanitation and structural plant maintenance are neglected, so stay on top of IMM problems by keeping a continuous monitoring program in place.

More Information

Suggested Traps

"'2000' Trap

Product No.2050600

STEALTH TRAP OVERVIEW

The 'Stealth Trap' is not only suitable for retail locations, but is also well suited to domestic kitchens. This small, inexpensive and reusable trap is an ideal way for consumers to deal easily and economically with the increasing incidence of Indian Meal Moth in homes.

Unlike most small moth traps, the 'Stealth Trap' contains a replaceable sticky insert, which holds a pheromone lure. If the trap becomes full of insects, the insert can simply be removed, disposed of in the garbage and replaced with a new insert. If the pheromone lure has been in use for less than 6-8weeks, it can be placed on the new insert. The lure in the trap will need to be replaced after 6 - 8 weeks with a new one to ensure the continued attraction of moths.

The main causes of an infestation of Indian Meal Moth are bird seed and pet food, but bulk purchases of flour and cereal products, dried fruits, nuts, and dried flowers can also introduce this pest into the home. Controlling this pest in kitchens requires thorough cleaning in order to remove any contaminated food product or spillage. Any newly introduced food items that might attract the moth must be stored in tightly sealed containers.

The 'Stealth Trap' can be hidden away in or on top of cupboards where it will attract and capture Indian Meal Moths 24 hours a day and inform the homeowner whether or not an infestation is still present.

Yellow & Blue Sticky Traps For the control of Whiteflies in greenhouse & landscapes


GENERAL INFORMATION

Monitoring traps are used not only to confirm the presence of certain insect pests in the field, but also to identify the insect's current lifecycle stage. Only the adult (moth) stage of the insect is caught in the trap, so users must understand the insect lifecycle in order to know when to expect the other stages (egg, larva and pupa). Correct placement and frequent inspection of the traps is critical and will confirm the source of infestation. Trapcatch information ensures that insect control methods can be implemented at the appropriate time. Regular recording of the trapcatch data will enable the user to manage the insect pest effectively.

More Information

Suggested Traps

Yellow & Blue Trap

Product No.2050216

LIFE HISTORY

Two species of whiteflies are commonly found as pests in greenhouses: the Silverleaf Whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii) and the Greenhouse Whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum). The adults are easily identified by their four white powdery wings (unlike true flies which only have two wings), and the way they scatter very quickly when disturbed. The eggs are usually laid on the underside of the leaves and hatch after 4-12 days into active crawling nymphs, which crawl for several hours until they find a suitable spot to start feeding. These immature nymphs remain in the same spot feeding and after a series of moults finally emerge as the mobile adult whitefly. The speed of development depends on the temperature conditions and is fastest under warm conditions (26 - 32 ºC). Similar to aphids, soft scale and mealybugs, the immature whitefly nymphs excrete 'honeydew' while feeding on plant tissues This provides a good medium for the growth of a black Sooty Mold fungus, which severely affects the plant.

TRAP PLACEMENT

Yellow sticky monitoring traps are a recognized method of attracting and capturing whiteflies as they move around within a greenhouse. Use one trap every 100 sq. metres for simple monitoring purposes, or increase the number of traps by 4-5 times for use as a mass-trapping tool. Place the yellow cards vertically just above the crop canopy, using either stakes or hanging wires, and record the catches for each trap on a regular basis - no longer than 7 day intervals.

Place yellow traps at or near all entry points, such as doorways and vents and also under some benches in case of fungus gnats. If thrips are suspected hang blue sticky traps in a similar placement.

It is important to place yellow traps prior to the first whitefly sightings since this insect can multiply rapidly, and traps placed early in the season will help to prevent surprise build-ups. Record keeping is the most important aspect of monitoring, for it will indicate where the hotspots are, where sudden changes are occurring so that you can act promptly when necessary.

Sanitation is equally important in the war against whiteflies, not just through removal of weeds and contaminated material in the growing area, but also through careful inspection of all incoming stock to ensure there are no new introductions, as well as the insect proofing of all vents and other entrances with fine mesh screens.

It is very important

to detect the presence of insect pests as early as possible, since this allows for control measures to be taken at precisely the right moment. Pheromone monitoring is a valuable tool for early detection:

  1. It helps us identify the type of pest, when it is present and where it is present.
  2. It enables us to establish thresholds as to whether further control is necessary.
  3. It gives an accurate indicator of when spray applications should be made.
  4. It confirms the success of treatments.

Cooper Mill Ltd. Is committed to providing well-tested and up-to-date technology and equipment to help end-users achieve the best possible results in their pest management programs. We encourage you to call us if you have specific monitoring challenges and we will do our best to help you resolve them.