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wertach2

Stink bug trap video

I ran across this on another site. How to make a stink bug trap with a soda bottle and an LED light. The guy was using it in his house but it should work in the garden too.

Here is a link that might be useful: trap

Comments (26)

  • cindy_eatonton
    12 years ago

    Excellent! Thank you! I wonder if I can find a trap for cucumber beetles and pickleworms...

  • nc_crn
    12 years ago

    Wonderful. Plastic bottle recycling...it's for more than just a bin outside.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBWi3NtND68

    not garden related, btw...plastic bottle related.

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    12 years ago

    That is pretty cool! Thanks for that link!

  • scotty66
    12 years ago

    amazing ingenuity. can't wait to try it.

  • glib
    12 years ago

    excellent. the question is, will it work outside. I am guessing in the darkest areas under a squash plant or trellis. Need to add a switch on the outside to turn it off during the day, and a way to empty it.

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I made one yesterday and put it out in the garden last night. I had about twenty in it this morning! I dumped them in a can of water and snapped the lid on. I'll put it back out tonight.

    It had some condensation inside so the light may not last too long. So tonight I'm going to put a little oil dry in it too.

  • glib
    12 years ago

    Details wertach. Did you put some dirt up the neck so it was easy to climb in? How about enclosing the diode and battery in a ziploc bag to hold off moisture?

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    "Did you put some dirt up the neck so it was easy to climb in?"

    No, I just went by the video instructions. I didn't think about the slick sides may make it harder for them to get in!

    When I put it out tonight I will put some sticks for them to use as ramps to get in. I don't know which way would be best to get the dirt to stick to the bottle? If I use water it will fall off when it dry's, if I use glue or oil it may make them go away?

    I also thought about something else that might work. I have a leftover sticky trap for rats. If I put it next to it they might get stuck on their ay to the light? My cat will probably end up stuck to it though, not a good idea.

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I made some ramps for them to climb in last night. I only caught about 10. The oil dry cut down on the condensation, almost none. I don't know if the oil dry kept some away or if there were less stink bugs in that part of the garden.

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    Could someone describe this method using words?

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    ltilton, I'm guessing that you mean how to make the trap? Did you watch the video in the link? It describes it in detail.

    Here is a link that might be useful: trap

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    I can't play the video, so I would like to read the instructions.

  • glib
    12 years ago

    Take two 2-liters identical soda bottles. Cut off the top and bottom, so has to have the cylindrical parts. Use only the two tops and one cylinder from now on.

    Inside the cylinder place a LED (perhaps with wiring through a hole to have battery access). Tape the two inverted tops at the two ends of the cylinder and tape them to the cylinder. Tape also the sides of the cylinder with black tape so light exits only through the ends. The necks of the two tops, which would normally point away from the cylinder, point inward. Bugs crawl through the neck and fall inside the cylinder, getting trapped.

  • homegro
    12 years ago

    "Need to add a switch on the outside to turn it off during the day, and a way to empty it."

    glib, I believe the LED light in the video (from HomeDepot)does not need separate battery, it turns on itself at dark. How hard does it to emppty it, when you simply tape the top (the funnel) by masking tape?

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    Thankee, glib.

    That's worth trying, to see if it will trap squash bugs.

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    homegro, You are mostly correct, the LED I bought was from Lowes, it is battery powered with a button in the middle to turn it on. It is suppose to be mounted under cabinets or secluded places for extra light. It has two sided tape so it sticks to the bottom of the bottle. I use a pencil when I'm ready to turn it on.

    I use the blue masking tape that pulls off easily.

    Glib,The guy in the video used 2 bottles because he had one without a light to catch them by hand. The bottom should not be cut off.

    ltilton, Take a 2 litter soda bottle, cut the top off about where the label ends at the top. Peel off the label. Put a battery powered LED light, Walmart, Home depot, Lowes, carry them. Turn the top part of the bottle upside down and insert it in to the bottom part like a funnel. Tape the top on lightly, turn on the light and you are ready to go.

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    Do you stand it upright or put it on its side?

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Stand it up. The bugs crawl up the sides and fall in. Something I left off, put tape around the bottom so that they will go up to the top instead of trying to get through the sides, they want to go to the light. I put some sticks that they could climb to the top in case it was too slick.

    Last nights bug harvest was great! I had so many I couldn't even guesstimate how many there were!

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    12 years ago

    Best tip in a LONG time! Sent the link to a pest control company, haven't heard back from them yet! LOL! No surprise!

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    It is just catching adults, or nymphs, too?

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Adults

  • terrybull
    12 years ago

    i made 4 of these the other day. i used green bottles and cut them so the inverted top was about a one inch from the bottom. so there was like a 3 inch+= taken out of the middle. then masking tape around the rim and three strips down the sides for traction. one tbls canola oil in the inside. the best earwig trap i have ever seen.

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    The temptation would be to put a little neem oil or something inside.

  • bella_trix
    12 years ago

    That is really fantastic! Thank you so much for posting.

    I also like his modified bug catcher at the end. That would be fantastic for harlequin bugs and japanese beetles.

    Thanks again,
    Bellatrix

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    12 years ago

    Yeah, throw a jap beetle lure in there and it's perfect for trapping those!

  • terrybull
    12 years ago

    i made another one last night and put it in my corn plants. checked it this morning and it had twenty plus earwigs doing the back stroke.