Yellow sticky traps, DIY

Tracydr · May 16, 2013

I purchased some tanglefoot and a bunch of yellow, plastic cups. I'm planning to make sticky traps for tomatoes, peppers and artichoke.
Just wondering where the best place would be to put the traps. And, how many should I use per plant?
Trying to get rid of a small amount of whiteflies and aphids.

Heritage · May 22, 2013

Tracy,

I would use one trap per plant, placed just above the canopy, replaced weekly.

Good luck!
Steve

TZ-OH6 · May 22, 2013

I used Tanglefoot on yellow Solo cups in a 600sq ft greenhouse infested with whiteflies like you wouldn't believe. When disturbed the whiteflies swarm downward. They seem to head for the yellower, older leaves on plants to land when that happens and the yellow cups draw them like a magnet. In the greenhouse in and around the 3-8 ft plants that were infested I placed the cups on 1.5 ft or 3 ft bamboo stakes stuck in pots full of floor gravel (very easy to move around without getting stuck to the cups. The cups were at the level of the low leaves).

Aphids feed and reproduce on the plant for the most part so sticky traps don't work very well for them.

Tanglefoot 'buttered' onto the cups will catch bugs for years in a greenhouse even under heavy pest numbers becuse they sink into the goo. It's very hard to spred thinly. I've watched whiteflies bounce off of new card traps, and the cards do fill up - wear out quickly (within a day or two on that greenhouse) -- not so with Tanglefoot. It will catch wasps and give birds a tough time.

I suggest using a disposable plastic knife to spread the stuff. It's a pain to work with and get off of anything.

ginger2778 · May 22, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heritage

Tracy,

I would use one trap per plant, placed just above the canopy, replaced weekly.

Good luck!
Steve

ditto, except the emplacement weekly part. I would guess they will last all season. My store bought ones did and I think they use tanglefoot or one thing like it too.
Marsha

Heritage · May 22, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heritage

replaced weekly.

replace as needed

SIP Gro-Tubs · May 28, 2013

Tanglefoot is a good product.

But STP motor oil treatment will do just as good a job and cost you way less than Tanglefoot.

Another option thats even cheaper, Mix Yellow food coloring in water, pour into pans on the ground, then add a squirt of Ivory dish soap.

Take a 1-3 liter soda bottle, remove the label, drill 1/2 holes in the top 1/4 area of the bottle, Mix water with Yellow food coloring, and the Ivory dish soap. Hang in areas of white fly infestations.

Also adding some sugar to the water sometimes even helps better.

Flying insect pests love sugar water, but use Red food coloring. A 1/2 gl container will be filled 1/2 way with dead bugs in less than 6 months.

Terry Layman

lycoperson · May 28, 2013

I use cooking spray to oil the yellow plastic. Works well. Easy to apply, and is supposedly non-toxic. (Never mind the propellant in the can!) Tanglefoot is a mess to apply, but also effective.

May 16, 2013	#1
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Yellow sticky traps, DIY I purchased some tanglefoot and a bunch of yellow, plastic cups. I'm planning to make sticky traps for tomatoes, peppers and artichoke. Just wondering where the best place would be to put the traps. And, how many should I use per plant? Trying to get rid of a small amount of whiteflies and aphids.

May 28, 2013	#6
SIP Gro-Tubs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Natalia, TX Posts: 143	Tanglefoot Substitute Tanglefoot is a good product. But STP motor oil treatment will do just as good a job and cost you way less than Tanglefoot. Another option thats even cheaper, Mix Yellow food coloring in water, pour into pans on the ground, then add a squirt of Ivory dish soap. Take a 1-3 liter soda bottle, remove the label, drill 1/2 holes in the top 1/4 area of the bottle, Mix water with Yellow food coloring, and the Ivory dish soap. Hang in areas of white fly infestations. Also adding some sugar to the water sometimes even helps better. Flying insect pests love sugar water, but use Red food coloring. A 1/2 gl container will be filled 1/2 way with dead bugs in less than 6 months. Terry Layman

May 22, 2013	#2
Heritage Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,255	Tracy, I would use one trap per plant, placed just above the canopy, replaced weekly. Good luck! Steve

May 22, 2013	#3
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 853	I used Tanglefoot on yellow Solo cups in a 600sq ft greenhouse infested with whiteflies like you wouldn't believe. When disturbed the whiteflies swarm downward. They seem to head for the yellower, older leaves on plants to land when that happens and the yellow cups draw them like a magnet. In the greenhouse in and around the 3-8 ft plants that were infested I placed the cups on 1.5 ft or 3 ft bamboo stakes stuck in pots full of floor gravel (very easy to move around without getting stuck to the cups. The cups were at the level of the low leaves). Aphids feed and reproduce on the plant for the most part so sticky traps don't work very well for them. Tanglefoot 'buttered' onto the cups will catch bugs for years in a greenhouse even under heavy pest numbers becuse they sink into the goo. It's very hard to spred thinly. I've watched whiteflies bounce off of new card traps, and the cards do fill up - wear out quickly (within a day or two on that greenhouse) -- not so with Tanglefoot. It will catch wasps and give birds a tough time. I suggest using a disposable plastic knife to spread the stuff. It's a pain to work with and get off of anything.

May 28, 2013	#7
lycoperson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 45	I use cooking spray to oil the yellow plastic. Works well. Easy to apply, and is supposedly non-toxic. (Never mind the propellant in the can!) Tanglefoot is a mess to apply, but also effective.