Do We Need a Scientific Standard Design for Yellow Sticky Traps?

Yellow sticky traps are commonly used in horticultural production to monitor the insect pests Frankliniella occidentalis and Trialeurodes vaporariorum. As there are no binding specifications for their characteristics, we asked if different trap designs have comparable trapping properties. In greenhouse trials, we compared the trapping properties of six commercially available yellow sticky trap variants, which differed in yellow colour and adhesive component. We found that the variants differ by a factor of up to 10 in their ability to trap F. occidentalis and T. vaporariorum. The results indicate that the cause of the differences probably lies in the adhesive components used. For F. occidentalis, up to around 70% of the initially caught thrips were able to actively escape on some trap variants. This suggests the need to develop and introduce a scientific and a production standard design for the characteristics of yellow sticky traps. Such a standard design would make it easier to compare scientific findings from the monitoring of F. occidentalis and T. vaporariorum and transfer them into further practical applications. For growers, a standard design would also increase the reliability of information gained from trapping.