Sticky board traps

Flying insects are attracted to bright yellow, blue, and white colors. Traps, consisting of square pieces of cardboard or hard plastic coated with sticky substances placed throughout the growing area among the plants, attract them. Strips of yellow or blue sticky plastic can also be used around or inside the growing ranges.

How to make?

1. Cut plywood or sturdy cardboards, 3 inches wide x 5-7 inches long.
2. Make experimentations on the sizes and forms of your board traps.
3. Paint boards with yellow or blue or white depending on the pests you want to monitor and trap

How to use?

1. Fasten boards to stakes with nails or staples or papers clips or hang them from wire supports.
2. Spread used-motor oil, or plant resin, or vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly directly on your board. Leave a small space uncoated for easy handling.
3. Place traps near the plants, preferably 25 cm away from the plant to ensure that the leaves will not stick to the board, but not facing direct sunlight.
4. Hang and position the traps at 50-75 cm zone above the plants.
5. As a general rule, place 1 to 2 sticky cards per 100 square meter growing area. Replace traps at least once a week. It is difficult to determine the population of newly trapped flies/moths on a sticky card to those previously trapped ones.

Pests monitored and controlled

Yellow sticky traps

Bright yellow sticky traps are used for monitoring/controlling of the following pests:

1. Aphids
r
2. Cabbage root maggot
3. Carrot rust fly
4. Cabbage white butterfly
5. Cucumber beetle
6. Fungus gnat
7. Onion fly
8. Thrips
9. Whiteflies

Blue sticky traps

Bright blue traps are for monitoring thrips

White sticky traps

Bright white traps are for monitoring flea beetles and tarnished plant bugs

External links

• eHow. How to make your own yellow sticky traps. http://www.ehow.com/how_9839_make-own-yellow.html
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Sticky board traps for green houses. http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/greenhou/fs638.htm

References

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden. (1999): Natural insect control: The ecological gardener's guide to foiling pests. Handbook # 139. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Inc. Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.
• Olkowski, W.; Daar, S.; Olkowski, H. (1991): Common sense - pest control. The Taunton Press. USA.
• Olkowski, W.; Daar, S.; Olkowski, H. (1995): The gardener?s guide to common-sense pest control. The Taunton Press. USA.