He Uses A Beach Ball To Trap Insects

He Uses A Beach Ball To Trap Insects CROPS Insect Control 30-4-28 Don Pace of Sopchoppy, Florida, recently emailed us about a product he uses to control mosquitos and deer flies. "I spray a 10-in. dia. beach ball with an aerosol can of Tangle Trap (www.biconet.com). It works best with a red ball because that color is most likely to attract insects. The photo shows the results after one year of use." Tangle-Trap is a clear, organic sticky coating that captures flying insects, including whitefly, aphids, carrot rust flies, fungus gnats, leafminer flies, thrips, and apple maggot flies. You simply spread it on old cardboard, milk cartons, plastic sheets, or on the company's Apple Maggot Traps and place the traps in your garden, orchard, or greenhouse. The product is also available in cans to brush on. Pace has sprayed two different beach balls with Tangle Trap. He says it takes three separate applications to make the coating thick enough to do a good job of trapping insects. He hangs the balls near his screened porch, high enough to keep people from accidentally contacting it. "I've used this idea for several years, and it really works," says Pace. "I've found the coating will still remain sticky and catch insects for two to three years." Pace also makes birds and animals and uses his computer printer to print them out on card stock. He then sprays them with Tangle Trap and hangs them up. However, he says card stock animals don't work as well as balls, which have a much greater surface area. The color of the ball is also an attractant for insects. Pace also uses plain old water and detergent to trap insects. He simply puts a few drops of detergent into a bowl of water. "The water attracts the insects, and the detergent breaks down the surface tension so the insects sink in. We've used this idea successfully for many years, placing the water around our front door. We also use the same idea in our birdbath," he says. Tangle Trap is sold at many stores. A 10-oz. aerosol can covers 5 sq. ft. and sells for $9.50; one quart of the brushable product covers up to 6,700 sq. in. and sells for $15.90; a 15-oz. tub of paste covers up to 2,800 sq. in. and sells for $5.95.

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