Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Stink Bug Experiment: Assembling and Hanging a Trap

Basic "Stink Bug Trap"






The trap is set. The Home & Garden Information Center asked local Master Gardeners to volunteer to try out a commercial “Stink Bug Trap” that is commonly available in stores—and to report their observations about how they work.

I unwrapped a trap yesterday afternoon, assembled it, and hung it 12 feet from our front door on fencing protecting a Knockout rose. The location is strategic. Brown marmorated stink bugs last fall found multiple ways into our home via our storm door and its retracting screen. The trap also is 16 feet from a Japanese maple that seems to be home turf for scores of stink bugs, and it’s 29 feet from a tomato plant that has scores of stink bugs sipping on the sweet juice of fruits that are damaged beyond human use.

The trap I’ve hung is a “Rescue Stink Bug Trap” by Sterling International, Inc. You’ve probably seen them on sale in neighborhood stores. List prices at one online source: $19.95 each trap and a two-week supply of lure or “Stink Bug Attractant,” a pheromone designed to entice the bugs into the trap. Replacement, seven-week lures cost $9.95 each. A blue LED “Stink Bug Light” ($17.95) is offered to help lure the insects from indoor living places during fall and winter.

Strategic location
The basic kit was simple to assemble. I took 15 minutes, most of which was my reading of all instructions so I would have a good feel for this product. Assembly directions were clear. No tools are required—just fingers. There are nine parts plus several twist-ties for hanging the trap outdoors, all clearly identified in the brochure. After you read directions, assembly shouldn’t take more than two minutes.

The two-sided brochure that comes with the trap is well designed and full of good information. Major sections include: “Summer Outdoor Use Instructions” and “Indoor Use during Fall, Winter, and Spring.” Subsections include “Initial Setup,” “Reusing the Trap,” “Empty and Reload Trap,” “Trap Placement,” and “Helpful Hints.” All information also appears in Spanish.

One of the “Trap Placement” points helped me decide where to hang it. I hung it on a fence—with the trap touching the foliage of a plant, in this case a branch of the Knockout rose. The brochure explains why such “contact” is important. Only mature stink bugs fly. The juveniles have to hike into the trap—via the fence or the rose foliage.

29 feet away...
My stink-bug experiment has begun. Periodically I’ll report what’s happening.
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17 comments:

  1. Bob NixonAugust 31, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Update after 1 day (Tuesday, 8/30): 17 stink bugs have gathered on or near the trap, but zero stink bugs have actually entered the trap. Yes, this trap appears to attract brown marmorated stink bugs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 31, 2011 at 10:38 AM

    It often takes a few days for the stinkbugs to migrate into the trap, best if trap gets sunlight also, I've caught hundreds with two two of these traps but started in July...they're getting ready to move indodors soon, this trap comes with an attachable LED light for indoor use.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bob NixonAugust 31, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    Update, Day 2 (Wed., 8/31): 22 stink bugs are on or near the trap, which has been in direct sunlight nearly nine hours today, but not one stink bug has entered the trap. I've just reread the directions, and no, I should not pierce the lures, so I have set up the trap correctly. And, yes, Anonymous, they are getting ready to move indoors. We're starting to see them on different places around the house, including on and around doors and windows/screens.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bob NixonSeptember 1, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Update, Day 3 (Thurs., 9/1): 17 stink bugs are on or ner the trap, and, YES!, one stink bug is inside the "trap chamber" of no return!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bob NixonSeptember 2, 2011 at 5:28 PM

    Update, Day 4 (Fri., 9/2): 12 stink bugs are on or near the trap, and five stink bugs now are inside the "trap chamber."

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bob NixonSeptember 3, 2011 at 6:32 PM

    Update, Day 5 (Sat., 9/3): 16 stink bugs are on or near the trap, and seven stink bugs now are inside the "trap chamber."

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bob NixonSeptember 4, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    Update, Day 6 (Sun., 9/4): 18 stink bugs are on or near the trap, and eight stink bugs are inside the "trap chamber," one lying on its back with feet up, dead, or as the trap manufacturer says, "dehydrated." The other seven inside the trap are scurrying about near the top, probably trying to find a way out.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bob NixonSeptember 5, 2011 at 3:13 PM

    Update, Day 7 (Mon., 9/5): A storm front approaches. 7 stink bugs are on or near the trap, and 13 stink bugs are inside the "trap chamber."

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bob NixonSeptember 6, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    Update, Day 8 (Tues., 9/6): It's showery and a cool 61 degrees, and there are zero/zed/no stink bugs on or near the trap. There are seven stink bugs inside the "trap chamber." WHAT??? Yesterday 13 stink bugs were in the trap. Apparently six retraced their steps and discovered the "entrance" works as an "exit." Looks like the "trap chamber" isn't necessarily a "chamber of death" for stink bugs.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bob NixonSeptember 7, 2011 at 4:06 PM

    Update, Day 9 (Wed., 9/7): It's raining again today, gently now after some torrential downpours, and the temperature is 71 degrees F. There are 11 stink bugs on or near the trap and 11 stink bugs in the "trap chamber." Four of those in the chamber are "feet up," so I assume they are "dehydrated," a.k.a. "dead."

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bob NixonSeptember 8, 2011 at 6:18 PM

    Update, Day 10 (Thurs., 9/8): Occasional showers today, with a high temperature of about 74 degrees F. There are 23 stink bugs on or near the trap and 13 stink bugs in the "trap chamber," with four of those apparently dead.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Bob NixonSeptember 9, 2011 at 8:41 PM

    Update, Day 11 (Fri., 9/9): Occasional showers again today, with temperature in the mid-70s F. There are 14 stink bugs on or near the trap and 13 stink bugs in the "trap chamber."

    ReplyDelete
  13. Bob NixonSeptember 10, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    Update, Day 12 (Sat., 9/10): What a difference a day makes. We've had one two-minute shower today. The sunshine is consistent for the first time in a week, and the temperature has soared to 82 degrees F. Seven stink bugs are on or near the trap but for the first time there is a large number inside the "trap chamber." They are scurrying about so it's difficult to get a count, but I estimate there are 45 to 50.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Bob NixonSeptember 11, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    Update, Day 13 (Sun., 9/11) Mostly sunny today with the temperature approaching 80 degrees F. until mid-afternoon, when clouds ushered in a 20-minute shower and the temperature dropped to 75 before I did my afternoon check of the trap. I found only four stink bugs on or near the trap but a growing number of bugs are inside the "trap chamber." There must be 60.

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownJuly 17, 2012 at 9:24 AM

    I think my gatorade bottle filled with soapy water and hand plucking them is more affective

    ReplyDelete
  16. Bob NixonJuly 18, 2012 at 10:17 AM

    Likely so, Erin. Hand picking is practical if you have time and patience and are quicker than the BMSBs. At this point this year, I'm picking blackberries with my right hand and squishing young stinkbugs with my left. If I had a third hand, I'd probably carry a bottle of soapy water in it so the job wouldn't be so, well, stinky. I haven't used the commercial trap this year.

    ReplyDelete
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