Timing traps

The purpose of timing traps of sychronizing trapping activities:

1. Minimizing sampling effort
2. Controlled comprison of different sampling strategies
3. Applying massive monitoring with minimum observation variance

A trap comprises three modules:

1. Timer module -- the setting of time of the trapping activity
2. Bait module -- containing attractant for the targeted insect species (light or sugar for moths)
3. Net module -- comprising a net with a ball connected to a motor to control the opening of the net

Currently, there are two types of trap, which are differentiated by their bait module

Video instruction for the setup of timing traps
https://youtu.be/NCilmELqgZU

The setup of timer module

The timer module controls the bait module activity and the net module activity, which are displayed at upper and lower screen respectively.

For the activity, two time need to be set.

For the bait activity, time “A”, defines the time to wait before the bait to be activated (light on or sugar bait pushed to the baiting tray). Time “b”, defines the duration of baiting, at the end of which the bait will be deactivated (light off or sugar bait withdrawn back to the syringe).

For the net activity, time “A”, is the total duration of bait activity. Time “b”, is always set to 5 seconds, which is the time for the motor to pull the ball to close the opening of the net.

Before setup the timer, make sure that the switch has been set to “close” before connecting to the power.

Press and hold the gear button till the upper screen flashes to enter the setting mode of the bait activity.

Use up and down button to change among program and press the gear button to enter Program 20.

To set time “A”, use up and down button to adjust the time.

Press the start button to change the position of decimal point to define the unit of time. Without point is second, single point at the end is minute, two points is hour. Here we set time “A” to four hours.

Then, press the gear button to set time “b” and here we set it to four hours.

Press the gear button again to save the changes.

Press and hold the gear button to enter the setting mode and then press the start button to switch to the setting of net activity.

As the lower screen flashes, select program 20 and press the gear button.

For time “A” of the net activity, we set the time to eight hours as the total duration of the bait activity we just set (four hours plus four hours).

Then press the gear button to see time “b”. If it is five seconds, just leave it. Otherwise, set the time to five seconds.

Press the gear button again to save the setting.

Disconnect the power. The next time we plug the power back in, the timer will be started.

The setup of net module

After hanging out the net module, we need to integrate it with the bait and timer module.

Before engaging the net module, please make sure that the ball is at released position.

If not, we can connect the motor to an idle timer. Put the switch to open and hold the control button to release the ball. If the ball is too relaxed, put the switch to close and hold the control button to pull the ball to the edge of the opening.

The setup of bait module (light trap)

The net with a hallow baiting tray is the light trap.

Expand and hang the net.

Take to two short hooks and hang the bait and timer module to the middle of the net.

Hang the light bulb with its wire and adjust the position to the centre of the baiting tray.

Connect the motor to the net activity output.

The setup of bait module (sugar trap)

The net with a tube at the bottom of the baiting tray is the sugar trap.

Expand and hang the net.

Use a small syringe to transfer the sugar bait into the Syringe of the bait module. Clean up spill overs if necessary.

Take to two long hooks and hang the bait and timer module to the net.

Connect the tube to the syringe.

Connect the motor to the net activity output.

Ending sugar trapping

At the end of trapping, disengage the bait and timer module from the net.

Hold the gear button to view programs and change to program 1

Press the gear button again to enter Program 1

Press and hold the start button to manually push the syringe till the syringe is empty

Release the start button to withdraw the syringe

You may hold and release the start button to rinse the syringe several times with clean water