Arable Acres Sticky Insect Traps

The Arable Acres Sticky Insect Traps are a line of non-toxic, adhesive-based monitoring and mass-trapping devices for integrated pest management (IPM) in agricultural and horticultural settings.

Physical Construction and Specifications
The traps are constructed from card stock or plastic film, with construction varying by product model.

• The adhesive is Stikem Special, a non-toxic, odorless, oil-based substance that is waterproof and mold-resistant.

• Products are color-coded for specific pest attractancy: a proprietary hue of bright yellow attracts aphids, whiteflies, and leafhoppers, while a proprietary hue of blue attracts thrips, leafminers, and fungus gnats.

• Discrete traps include a hanging hole and twist tie for mounting. Cards feature a printed grid for insect counting and population estimation.

Functional Mechanism and Design
These are passive, visual traps that operate through color attractancy and physical entrapment. Target insects are drawn to the specific wavelength of the colored surface and immobilized upon contact with the adhesive. This provides a non-insecticidal method for detection and population reduction.

Target Applications and Performance
The product line is designed for pest monitoring and mass-trapping in commercial greenhouses, indoor cultivation facilities, nurseries, and field agriculture. Their primary function is the detection and monitoring of pest populations to inform treatment decisions within an IPM program. A secondary function is mass-trapping to directly reduce pest pressure. The traps are effective against specific insect groups as dictated by their color.

Application Specifications and Protocol
Product selection and deployment are based on pest target, facility layout, and monitoring strategy.

• 4" x 7" Traps (GAA001, GAA002): These discrete traps reverse-fold to expose a 4" x 14" sticky surface (approximately 30 square inches). They are designed for spot placement within a crop canopy.

• 3" x 5" Double-Sided Cards (GAA012, GAA013): These smaller, dual-adhesive cards are for space-limited sensor placement. They are sold in packs of 72.

• Sticky Ribbon Rolls (GAA003, GAA004, GAA010, GAA011): These are 6-inch or 12-inch wide by 328-foot long rolls of dual-sided adhesive tape. They are designed for creating long, continuous barriers for perimeter protection or for spanning greenhouse bays for area-wide trapping and vector mapping.

• Crawl Cards (GAA075, GAA076): These 3" x 5" yellow cards feature a center hole for mounting on stakes or stems to monitor crawling insects.
  Traps should be deployed at or near crop canopy height. Adhesive residue can be cleaned from skin or tools using oil-based products (e.g., vegetable oil) or lanolin-based hand cleansers.

Handling and Safety
The Stikem Special adhesive is explicitly non-toxic. No specific personal protective equipment is required for handling. Used traps should be disposed of according to local waste management regulations.