Home made sticky pads

[Des]

Here in SA I have been finding it difficult to find suitable sticky pads for catching flying bugs that have become a real problem this year in amongst my orchids in particular my Cymbids
So a little while ago I started making my own and have been quite surprised at just how effective the pads are proving to be.
My method is to cut the sides out of a cereal box , punch a 20 mm hole into the centre and insert a LED into the hole . The LED'S are wired up , using a thin insulated copper wire , in series. I then coat the cereal box sides on both sides with PSA adhesive. Be careful with this stuff it is incredibly sticky and difficult to get off your hands, I wear surgical gloves when working with it .
The LED's are powered using a rechargeable battery and when all lit up at night look very pretty. the lightes then attract the bugs to their DOOM
While on the subject of killing bugs, I have recently read a number of articles about commercial growers in OZ and New Zealand losing their cymbid flowers due to defective or badly formulated insecticides for mites
I have also experienced this to some extent this year for the first time , in desperation I used an insecticide for white fly and this stuff has deformed some of my cymbid flower buds . This is the main reason for me experimenting with sticky pads. As most bugs have a flying stage, I am hoping to reduce the use of insecticides over the next year .

[kiki-do]

Way cool idea! I just have a pest strip hanging kind of behind my passion flower and it seems to be very helpful. They are an ugly site, though, so that's why I hide it behind the passion flower. Last year I had the flying gnats plentiful, but this year the strip has definitely helped. I live your idea, though. I'll have to try that. It would be less sore on the eyes.

[BikerDoc5968]

Not to be stupid, but what is PSA adhesive? I read an article along the same lines but using heavy weight yellow construction paper. I don't know when the original research was done...??maybe at MSU??? but they found that yellow dye #7 seemed to attract the most bugs and that's why sticky stripes are yellow!

[Dorothy]

Could you substitute honey for the adhesive?
Random thought

[MuscleGirl'sHobby]

Very cool idea! I might take it a step further and actually construct something like that out of a different material so that they could actually double as decorations! Perhaps the "sticky stuff" could be a removable part that, when full, can be discarded and a new one inserted!

[snow]

you guys are all just so handy!

[Des]

PSA = Pressure sensitive adhesive , it is so sticky that even the pressure of a knats leg will activate it !
I have tried syrup which is about the same as honey ,and it also works ,but the pad tends to also trap bees and other bugs that you don't want to kill.

[cb977]

Originally Posted by MuscleGirl'sHobby

Very cool idea! I might take it a step further and actually construct something like that out of a different material so that they could actually double as decorations! Perhaps the "sticky stuff" could be a removable part that, when full, can be discarded and a new one inserted!

What a great idea! Maybe a butterfly shape!