Traps

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

Ingredients – Sticky traps, such as Tanglefoot resins, can be smeared on attractive yellow or red cards to simulate ripe fruit. When the pests land on the fruit, they are stuck forever!

Controls – Helps contain spider mites and non-flying insects within the bounds of the barriers. Monitors fungus gnat populations and helps control thrips. Other insects get stuck haphazardly to the sticky stuff.

Black light traps catch egg laying moths and other flying insects most of which are not plant pests. Light and fan traps attract many insects including beneficials, and their use may do more harm than god.

Sex-lure traps exude specific insect pheromones, sexual scents, of females that are ready to mate. These traps are most effective to monitor insect populations for large farms.

Mixing – Follow directions on container. Smear on desired objects.

Application – Smear Tanglefoot around the edges of pots, base of stems, and at the end of drying lines to form an impenetrable barrier-trap against mites and insects. This simple precaution helps keep mites isolated. However, resourceful spider mites can spin a web above the barrier. The marauding mites also ride the air currents created by fans from plant to plant.

Persistence – It is persistent until it is wiped off or completely fouled with insect bodies.

Forms – Sticky, thick paint.

Toxicity – Not toxic to mammals or insects. Trapped insects and mites starve to death.

Safety – Wear gloves.