What Is an Insect Trap?
An insect trap are devices used to catch insects such as flies and mosquitoes. Insects are lured by ultraviolet light and pheromone triggers and then captured with adhesive tape or other means.
Similar to insect trap are the electric insect trap, which kill insects by electric shock and emit sound and light when insects come into contact with its electrodes.
Therefore, there are some disadvantages: when used in restaurants, the light and sound of the electric bug killer may be bothersome, and it cannot be used in places where fire is strictly prohibited, such as gasoline stations.
Compared to the insecticides mentioned above, insect traps can quietly capture insects after they have been induced, and can be used in any location for highly effective insect removal.
How Insect Traps Work
The structure of insect traps are simple, consisting of a light source and an adhesive.
The light source is an insect lamp, and the adhesive is also called insect trapping tape.
There are two types of insect traps mechanisms: suction type and sheet type. The suction type captures insects by sucking and storing them at the bottom of the device and has a high capture rate, while the sheet type directly adheres insects to the adhesive sheet and is characterized by its quiet operation.
Insects have the property of traveling light, and tend to be attracted to light of specific wavelengths. Flies respond to ultraviolet rays in the 300 to 400 nanometer wavelength range, and insect traps use light sources that emit ultraviolet rays in these wavelengths.
In addition,insect traps have also been developed for use against the mushroom-feeding Pseudomonas nipponica fly, which uses a purple LED and a near-ultraviolet LED.
- Fluorescent Lamps
Fluorescent lamps are frequently used as the light source for insect traps. Fluorescent lamps attract insects by emitting ultraviolet light around 365 nm.The life of a fluorescent lamp is about 6 months, and although the brightness of a deteriorated lamp does not change visually, the intensity of the ultraviolet light decreases, so the attraction of insects declines, requiring periodic replacement.
Since there is a risk that fluorescent lamps may fall or break during replacement, shatterproof lamps are also available.
- LED Lamps
As in the case of ordinary lighting, LEDs are sometimes used in insect traps instead of fluorescent lamps.LEDs have a longer lifespan than fluorescent lamps, reducing the need for lamp replacement. They use wavelengths of 365 nanometers of ultraviolet light and 395 nanometers of ultraviolet light, which can attract a wide range of insects.
Insect Traps Locations
Insect traps are used in food factories, convenience stores, supermarkets, as well as parks and parking lots. It is difficult to prevent insects from entering buildings completely as long as people are coming and going. Therefore, insect traps are installed in each section of the building to remove insects. Light sources for insect control are also used in areas where insects should not be allowed to approach, thereby preventing insects from entering the merchandise.
In order to use insect traps effectively, it is important to select one with the appropriate capacity. Each insect trap has a defined effective area, and the space to which it is applied should be smaller than the effective area. In addition, the power consumption and power supply system also differ among insect traps, so it is necessary to consider the distance from the installation site to the power outlet and the quietness of the device.
Height
The location of the insect traps are important to ensure that insects are caught. It is effective to place the traps in places where insects are likely to occur, such as near building entrances, windows, water and garbage, etc. In addition, it is recommended that the height of the traps be as low as 5–6 feet, as most small insects do not fly high.
Outdoor Installation
When installing insect traps outdoors, as mentioned above, it is effective to install them in areas where insects are likely to congregate, such as building entrances, near water, and near garbage. When using insect traps for camping or barbecues, it is recommended to use suction type traps that attract insects from all directions.