Pests in the garden can be a real problem. They eat and infest your plants and bother you and your guests as you try to enjoy the outdoors. There are many solutions to dealing with unwanted insects, and each has benefits and drawbacks. Sticky traps for bugs are one strategy.
It should be noted that, although sticky traps are intended for pesky insects only, they do not discriminate and will end up inadvertently trapping beneficial insects as well as snakes, lizards, and even birds. In fact, many organizations, like the Humane Society, strongly recommend against using these kinds of traps for this reason.
What are Sticky Traps?
Sticky trap pest control means using a glue-based trap to catch and immobilize pests. These types of traps are typically cardboard with a layer of sticky glue. The card may also be folded into a tent shape or laid flat. The tent cover protects the sticky surface from dust and other materials. Some sticky traps also include some type of scent to entice certain pests.
A sticky trap may also be a hanging trap. The type that sits on surfaces really only works for crawling bugs, like spiders or cockroaches. Flying insects can’t be trapped that way. A hanging strip of sticky paper can be used to catch and trap flies, for instance.
When to Use Sticky Traps
Use of sticky traps is normally done when trying to reduce populations of aphids, whiteflies, and thrips in the greenhouse or your home. These traps can monitor insect populations to determine if another pest control strategy is working or to figure out where your biggest pest problems are.
In terms of managing outdoor garden pests, using sticky traps poses issues to wildlife, so other pest control strategies should be used instead. Making the garden more attractive to beneficial insects, for instance, can help keep the numbers of pesky insects down, as many actually feed on them. Ladybugs, for example, love snacking on aphids.
Organic pesticides, like the use of neem oil or insecticidal soap are other options.
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