Universal Trap That Attracts and Captures Multiple Species of Insects for Analysis

Collects and Preserves Insects to Determine If They Vector Pathogens Specific to Plant Diseases

This universal insect trap captures flying adult insects that can later be analyzed as vectors for pathogens that cause plant diseases. Existing insect traps are complicated and expensive to manufacture and can only attract and capture specific insects. Multiple trap types are necessary to examine a full range of insects responsible for damage or spreading disease in plants. In addition, these traps do not preserve the captured insects, which prevents later identification and recovery of its nucleic acids to determine if it is vectoring a specific pathogenic microorganism.

Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a simple universal insect trap that can be used to capture and preserve a variety of insect species for later analysis. With a simplistic and inexpensive design, this trap anticipates behavioral and flight characteristics of various insects to trap them. It does not require the use of adhesives, bait, or attractants to lure insects, and it can trap them alive or preserve them for later analysis. Insects caught in the trap can reflect seasonal activity, population increases, and density differences of adult insect populations as well.

Application

An insect trap that captures and preserves a wide variety of insect pests that are vectors of various plant diseases. The trap may also be used as the collection-preserving component of other traps used to target insects under different situations such as a soil or water emergence traps.

Advantages

• Double entry design, increasing trap efficiency and enabling it to attract insects with different response behaviors
• Traps multiple species of insects and allows them to be kept alive or preserved for later analysis
• Uses color and light to attract insects, eliminating the need for chemical lures, sticky adhesives or other baits (although they can be used)
• Simple, customizable design that is inexpensive to manufacture
• Can be used with existing traps, serving as collection-preserving component of other traps

Technology Detail

This insect trap design uses a double entry, color, and light to attract and trap a variety of insects and collect them for analysis. The simple design using molded plastic is inexpensive to manufacture and includes elements that can be modified depending on the species of insect intended for capture. Though baits or chemical lures are not needed for the trap to function, they can be used to improve the trap capture rate. The trap preserves the target insect so researchers can analyze their infection rates, strain of vector or pathogen they carry, and its natural enemies can be determined. In addition to whiteflies, this trap can collect insects such as Asian citrus psyllids, aphids, thrips, and leafhoppers.