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In this video I will be showing you how to make a gypsy moth trap using a juice bottle.
We’ve been having an extreme infestation with gypsy moths and caterpillars this past year. Unfortunately, the municipality we live in hasn’t done much to tackle the problem property owners are experiencing, so we’re having to result to our methods.
You may be asking yourself what kind of problems can this insect cause. There is typically a small amount each year which doesn’t have a large impact. In extremely large amounts like we’ve experienced, when in the caterpillar stage, they will eat all the leaves and needles off the trees. Defoliating the trees. This not only looks bad, but it also affects the health of the trees, possibly killing off trees. Beyond that, it also removed food sources and habitats for other animals and insects. From our experience, complete tree defoliation can happen just over a couple of weeks.
I will have a video for tackling the caterpillars and eggs in the future, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.
Reducing the moth stage will help cut back on the fertilization of eggs, reducing the potential amount of caterpillars in the next year.
While traps are available, some are not reusable, can be more expensive, and in our case, all suppliers were sold out.
Using a clear juice bottle with the label removed, this had been washed out and has just under a 2 liter capacity. A smaller bottle can be used too, it’ll just need to be emptied more often.
Next, you’ll also need some heavy string, a drill, and a razor knife.
Cut one hole on each vertical side of the bottle, so four in total. These would be cut in a slot style, enough where the moth can fit through. The high would be about 3/4” or 2 cm. The width of the holes is about 2 inches or 5 cm. These need to be on the upper half of the bottle, about 3/4 of the way up and roughly in the same line. This doesn’t need to be exact.
When done, here you can see the slots.
Next is using about a 1/16” drill bit to make vent holes in the top. This will help with attracting the moths so they can smell the pheromone and prevent any condensation from forming. There are about 15 small holes in the top, again the exact number isn’t critical and this will also vary depending on the size of your bottle. Just make sure you’re not jeopardizing the structure of your bottle.
As a final modification for the bottle is making a hole in the lid. The hole size will be based on the size of the string you’re using. Make sure it’s strong enough to hold the weight of the bottle with a small amount of water in the bottom, along be able to withstand windy conditions.
I’ve already gone ahead and made my string. One side has a stopped knot so it doesn’t pull through the lid and the other has a loop where the lip can fit through.
A small amount of soap has been added to the bottom, this will help reduce the water’s surface tension so the moth becomes trapped easier.
I’d highly recommend wearing gloves for the next step. Here I have female gypsy moth pheromone, so we’ll be attracting male moths in the trap. Male moths are the ones that fly, the females do not fly. If the pheromone gets on your skin, the male moths will follow you.
The pheromone is just a small strip and can be tapped onto the string. This pheromone will need to be replaced yearly. Try to keep as much of the strip as exposed as possible, but so it’s secure enough where it won’t fall in the water.
Once filled up with water and hanging, here it is. There is no more than 2 inches or 5cm of water in the bottom. This will need to be changed whenever it becomes excessively full of moths. The versions on the market are a solid color so some moths can see the light and expect. This makes it difficult for the moths to see the entrance holes so it’s not selective.
The next day, less than 24hrs and after the highest concentration of moths, as you can see it’s filled right up. We’re about a week past their peak. Do not get the pheromone strip wet when cleaning out the bottle, just unscrew the lid, wash out the bottle, then add more of a water and soap mixture.
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