CRAWLING INSECT TRAP

Abstract

The present invention relates to an insect trap (1) including a hollow body (2) formed by two elements interlocking each other, the outer surface (3) of said hollow body (2) is pierced by a plurality of openings (4), each opening (4) extending into a tunnel (7) facing the inside of the hollow body (2), characterized in that removable tunnel elements (11) are inserted at the surface (3) of said hollow body (2) via the upper portion (13) of same, wherein said upper portion fits with the insert hole made directly in the hollow body (2). Said tunnel elements (11) comprises a lower portion that corresponds to the tunnel (7) and the inner diameter and the length of which can be adapted to the dimensions of the target insect in such a way that they force said insect located therein to move in one direction toward the inside of the hollow body (2) but do not allow said insect to turn around by pivoting on itself.

Claims

1. Insect trap (1) comprising a hollow body (2) formed by two elements interlocking with each other, the outer surface (3) of said hollow body (2) is pierced with a plurality of openings (4) allowing the target insect to get into the trap, each opening (4) extending as a tunnel (7) oriented into the hollow body (2), wherein removable tunnel elements (11) are inserted onto the surface (3) of said hollow body (2) at their upper portion (13) which fits with the insert holes provided on the hollow body (2), said tunnel element (11) comprising a lower portion corresponding to the tunnel (7), the inner diameter and length thereof being adaptable to the dimensions of the target insect so as to force said insect inside the tunnel to move unidirectionally toward inside the hollow body (2) without allowing it to turn around by pivoting on itself, over an entire length or at least a portion of said tunnel (7), and wherein the inner wall (5) of said tunnel (7) is rough to allow the insect to move on in the tunnel, whereas the outer wall (6) is smooth to prevent insects trapped inside the hollow body (2) to crawl up said tunnel (7) to get out by the opening (4).

2. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of said tunnel (7) is between 1.3 and 2 times the width of said target insect, namely the longest axis in the front plane of said insect, and the length of said tunnel (7) is between 2 and 7 times the length of said insect, namely the longest axis in the sagittal plane of said insect.

3. The trap according to claim 2, wherein the length of the tunnel (7) is between 1 cm and 4 cm and the inner diameter is between 0.5 cm and 0.8 cm for the darkling beetle.

4. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the size parameters of the tunnel (7), comprising the inner diameter and the length of the tunnel (7), can be lengthened or shortened.

5. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel elements (11) are provided symmetrically opposite each other, the tunnels (7) being oriented concentrically toward the center of the hollow body (2) avoiding the inner ends (8) of the tunnels (7) diametrically opposed to face each other.

6. The trap according to claim 5, wherein the tunnel elements (11) are grouped so as to form a functional unit (9).

7. The trap according to claim 1, wherein a protruding fold (10) is provided at an upper portion (13) of the tunnel element (11) so as to orient efficiently the moving direction of the insect toward the opening (4).

8. (canceled)

9. The trap according to claim 9, wherein the height of the protruding fold (10) ranges between 0.5 cm and 1 cm for the litter beetle.

10. The trap according to claim 7, wherein the protruding fold (10) extends up to inside the tunnel (7).

11. The trap according to claim 1, wherein, when in use, when said trap is provided directly on the ground, the tunnels (7) positioned below a horizontal plane passing by the central axis of the hollow body (2) form an angle <<α>> comprised between 0° and 70° with respect to said horizontal plane to allow insects to progress into the tunnels (7).

12. The trap according to claim 1, wherein, a sum of the total surface of all insert holes provided on the hollow body (2) is between 15% and 80% of the total surface of the hollow body (2).

13. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface (3) of the hollow body (2) comprises asperities, streaks, or surface grain.

14. The trap according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body (2) and the tunnel elements (11) are made of biodegradable or non-biodegradable materials from fossil-source or bio-based plastic polymers, polymers of plant origin, or wood and its derivatives.

15. The trap according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body (2) and the tunnel elements (11) are made of metal.

16. The trap according to claim 5, wherein the tunnel element (11) is loaded with active substances, such as an attractant.

17. The trap according to claim 10, wherein said hollow body (2) has a shape selected among the following: sphere, ovoid, cylinder, pyramid, cone or parallelepiped.

18. (canceled)

19. A method to capture a plurality of insect types, particularly crawling insects such as darkling beetles in poultry farm buildings using the trap of claim 1, wherein, when in use, the trap (1) is provided in any position on a portion of the area susceptible to infestation without allowing said trapped insects to escape therefrom and wherein the tunnel elements (11) are removed for replacement by other tunnel elements (11) adapted to the dimension of a new target insect.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the trap (1) is provided in a horizontal position allowing the trap to roll on itself to go from one location to another on a portion of said area.

21. The trap according to claim 9, wherein the protruding fold (10) extends up to inside the tunnel (7).

22. The trap according to claim 6, wherein the tunnel element (11) is loaded with active substances, such as an attractant.

Description

[0055] The various characteristics of the crawling insect trap that is the object of the present invention are detailed in the particular embodiments presented below:

[0056] FIG. 1: perspective view of an embodiment of insect trap having an ovoid shape.

[0057] FIG. 2: longitudinal cross-section in the AA′ plane of the trap of FIG. 1.

[0058] FIG. 3a: perspective view of a cylindrical tunnel.

[0059] FIG. 3b: perspective view of a tunnel having a funnel shape with a square cross-section.

[0060] FIG. 4: front view of an ovoid-shaped trap comprising functional units.

[0061] FIG. 5: cross-section of a of the trap shown in FIG. 4 along the horizontal AA′ (longitudinal) plane.

[0062] FIG. 6: perspective view of a functional unit of the trap shown in FIG. 4.

[0063] FIG. 7: cross-section of a tunnel element along the vertical BB′ (transverse) plane.

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a crawling insect trap (1) having an ovoid-shaped hollow body (2). The outer surface (3) of the hollow body (2) is pierced by a plurality of circular openings (4). The inner diameter of the opening (4) is adapted to trap insects such as darkling beetles. The opening (4) extends in a tunnel directed toward the center of the hollow body (2), the inner wall (5) of the tunnel is rough, in contrast with the outer wall (6) which is smooth to prevent the entrapped insect from getting out through the opening (4) by climbing the tunnel.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section along the major axis AA′ of an ovoid-shaped crawling insect trap (1). The surface (3) of the crawling insect trap (1) is pierced by a plurality of circular openings (4) extending in a tunnel (7) oriented towards the inside of the hollow body (2). The ends (8) of the tunnels (7) inside the hollow body (2) do not touch each other.

[0066] FIG. 3a shows a tunnel (7) of which the inner end (8) is circular. The outer wall (6) is smooth to prevent crawling insects trapped inside the hollow body (2) from climbing the tunnel (7), and a rough inner wall (5) to allow crawling insects to progress into the tunnel (7).

[0067] FIG. 3b shows a tunnel (7) of a funnel shape, the end (8) thereof being rectangular. The inner wall (5) is rough, in contrast with the outer wall (6) which is smooth.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a prototype representing a front view of an ovoid-shaped trap (1) comprising functional units (9). Each functional unit (9) comprises seven tunnel elements (7), provided, at their upper portion (13), into the insert holes on the surface (3) and maintained together at a center of the functional unit by projecting folds (10) emerging at the openings (4).

[0069] FIG. 5 shows how the tunnels 7 are arranged inside the hollow body 2 provided in a horizontal position along the plane AA′ represented in FIG. 4. Even though the openings 4 of the tunnels 7 are arranged symmetrically opposite each other, the tunnels (7) are oriented towards the center of the hollow body (2), thus preventing the ends (8) of the diametrically opposite tunnels (7) from being opposite each other. The upper portion (13) of the tunnel element (11) is inserted into the insert hole via the inclined portion (12) and the lower portion of the tunnel element if formed by a tunnel (7) of which the inner wall (5) is rough and the outer wall (6) is smooth. The inclined portion (12) is an integral part of the structure of the upper portion (13), the purpose of which is to ensure the insertion of the tunnel element (11) in the insert hole.

[0070] FIG. 6 shows a functional unit (9) comprising seven tunnel elements (11). Each tunnel element (11) has an upper portion (13) of which the portion (12) is slightly inclined towards the center of the opening (4) and a lower portion corresponding to the tunnel (7), individually connected by protruding folds (10) which converge towards the center of the unit (9); one of the ends of each of the protruding folds (10) is directly connected to a tunnel element (7) at its upper portion (13).

[0071] FIG. 7 shows a tunnel element (11) comprising cylindrical tunnels (7) of which the section along the BB′ plane, shown in FIG. 6, is substantially T-shaped, including the upper portion (13) and, in the middle thereof, the inclined portion (12); the lower edges of the inclined portion (12) delimit the circumference of the opening (4). The distance “d” represents the diameter of the insert hole (not shown) provided directly on the surface of the hollow body (2) for receiving the upper portion (13) of the tunnel element (11). After following the protruding fold (10), the insects get into the opening (4) of the cylindrical tunnel (7) via the inclined portion (12) of the upper portion (13) of the tunnel element (11) and fall into the trap after passing the end (8).

[0072] The invention is exemplified in the examples below. Of course, the scope of the objects as claimed is not limited to the type of insect discussed or to the exemplary embodiments.

EXAMPLE 1

[0073] The Applicant has found that some poultry farm buildings are invaded by litter beetles, Alphitobius diaperinus, which concentrate around waterers and feeders, and shelter in the litter box. Litter beetle populations can reach hundreds of thousands of individuals (Axtell & Arends 1990; Dunford & Kaufman 2012). Moreover, the lifetime of the litter beetles is long enough to allow them to invade several successive poultry farms. An adult A. diaperinus measures on average 0.5 cm in length for about 0.4 cm in waist circumference, i.e., the width, and 0.5 cm in height.

[0074] By way of comparison, traps marketed under the trademark PALMatrap® are tested at the same time and under the same conditions as the traps according to the invention. The PALMatrap® trap includes a pyramid-shaped hollow body, with a circular base of 34 cm in diameter, and 22 cm high. A cylindrical container which is 23 cm in diameter and 10 cm high is placed inside the hollow body to collect the insects caught. The upper part of the pyramidal hollow body has a circular aperture 8.5 cm in diameter to allow the beetles to access the trap. When in use, the PALMatrap® trap is semi-buried and must be placed in a vertical position.

[0075] The trap according to the invention comprises an ovoid-shaped hollow plastic body of a 11 cm long minor axis and of a 20 cm long major axis, pierced with 56 circular openings distributed on its outer surface (FIG. 1). Said hollow body is formed by two half-ovoids interlocking with one another. Each opening extends as a tunnel 3 cm long and 0.7 cm in inner diameter. The inner wall of the tunnel is rough, while the outer wall is smooth. The surface of the hollow body has been sanded to create asperities in order to facilitate the movement of the darkling beetles. 50 g of chicken droppings are used as an attractant and are introduced into the hollow body. The experiments were carried out during 15 days. Nine traps with the parameters mentioned above are placed directly on the ground and are distributed in the following locations: [0076] 3 traps by the waterers, [0077] 3 traps by the feeders, [0078] 3 traps in the litter.

[0079] At the end of the experiments, the hollow body is emptied by separating the two elements and then counting the total number of captured darkling beetles. The results obtained are summarized in Table 1 below:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Average number of darkling beetles captured per trap Number Number Number of of of captured Trap Attractive openings replicas beetles Place PALMatrap ® No 1 3 170 Waterer Ovoid No 56 3 202 Ovoid Yes 56 11 717 PALMatrap ® Yes 1 3 509 Feeder Ovoid Yes 56 8 703 PALMatrap ® No 1 3 218 Litter Ovoid No 56 5 1253

[0080] It can be seen that the average number of darkling beetles captured by the ovoid trap according to the invention is greater than that of the PALMatrap® trap, regardless of the chosen location, with or without attractant.

[0081] The darkling beetles penetrate indifferently into the openings which extend as tunnels. The tests have shown that no darkling beetle has taken refuge in the tunnel during its progression towards the end inside the hollow body. Similarly, no darkling beetle has been able to turn around by pivoting on itself once it is in the tunnel. It was found that, on average, 20% to 40% of the captured darkling beetles have entered through tunnel openings located below a horizontal plane passing through the central axis of the hollow body forming an angle α between 0° and 70° with respect to said horizontal plane passing through said central axis. It was found that, on average, 3% to 5% of the captured darkling beetles have entered through the tunnel openings for which the angle α>70°.

Assessment of How Inclined Darkling Beetles Are to Keep Moving Along the Lower Part of the Protruding Fold

[0082] To study the behavior change of darkling beetles in a laboratory environment, two protocols were put in practice to assess how inclined the darkling beetles are to cross over obstacles or rather to follow them, thus highlighting thigmotactism in their behavior.

[0083] To do this, in a first protocol, the average distance on which a darkling beetle will go along, rather than cross over, an obstacle encountered on its course, is measured. Three different obstacle heights (0 cm, 0.1 cm and 0.5 cm) were tested for a total of 10 test trials per height, demonstrating that as soon as an obstacle, even a few millimeters high, is placed on their way, the darkling beetles tend to follow it over a length that is in relation with the height of the obstacle, starting from a height of 0.1 cm (Mann-Whitney test, W=7.5, p<0.01, Graph 1). At a height of 0.5 cm, that is, the height of the darkling beetle, all the darkling beetles run along the lower part of the obstacle, without crossing it, on a distance of at least 10 cm. The stars show a significant difference according to a Mann-Whitney test compared to a height of 0 cm at p<0.01 (**) and p<0.001 (***).

[0084] In the second protocol, there was provided a group of 10 darkling beetles in a small enclosure (3.5 cm×3.5 cm) delimited by an obstacle whose height varies according to the tests (0 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm and 2 cm). The results (Graph 2) show that the higher the obstacle, the longer the darkling beetles take time to cross them. They cross statistically similarly an obstacle of a height from 0 cm to 0.5 cm Student's test>0.05), but take significantly longer to overcome an obstacle with a height of 1 cm (4.2 times longer: Student t=9.385, p<0.001) or 2 cm (7.3 times longer: Mann-Whitney test, W=0, p<0.001).

EXAMPLE 2

Fly Trap

[0085] In laboratory conditions, the hollow body of the trap described in Example 1 was replaced by a trap as shown in FIG. 4. Both traps have the same shape, but only one element of the hollow body is used to capture houseflies (Musca domestica). The adult housefly is 1 cm long on average and has a width of about 0.5 cm at its waist and a wingspan of about 1.5 cm between the ends of its wings along a transverse plane. Within the context of the invention, the width of the fly refers to its wingspan. The traps were tested simultaneously, spaced from at least 1 m and placed inside a room (2.5 cm×2 m×2.6 m high) having a controlled temperature (22° C.±1° C.) and a slight overpressure to avoid air pollution. Five other tests were made by interchanging the traps to verify that their position in the room does not impact capture. During different test sessions, six traps were tested, with their properties summarized in the table below:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 trapping efficiency of flies vs. tunnel size and shape Tunnel Inside Trapping Trap Number of Length Diameter of Tunnel efficiency # Apertures (cm) Tunnel (cm) Shape (%) 1 28 3 0.8 cylindrical 0 2 28 2 1.9 cylindrical +++ 3 28 5 2 à 1 funnel ++++ 4 28 1.3 0.8 cylindrical 0 5 20 2.5 2.1 cylindrical ++ 6 12 2.5 2.1 cylindrical +

[0086] Generally, the tests have shown that the greater the number of openings, the greater is the capture rate (traps 5 and 6). However, tunnel parameters such as size (length and inner diameter) and shape (cylindrical or frustoconical) are also crucial as they condition how inclined flies are to enter a trap instead of another one.

[0087] It should be noted that once captured, 64.2%±19.4% of flies remain captive and do not get to find the exit, in particular when the tunnel length is at least twice their own length. The frustoconical shape is the shape that minimizes the number of captured flies getting out.