Pest trap

Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Traps – Insect

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C043S121000, C043S107000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06327810

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a pest trap.
A number of different types of pest trap are commonly in use. These include no-exit traps, traps with sticky retaining surfaces, traps with a knock-down insecticide and traps which electrocute, killing instantaneously.
Examples of the different types of trap include the Victorian trap, a no-exit trap which comprises a glass bowl with a central entrance beneath. The entrance projects up into the dome of the bowl and flies enter from below, then continue to fly upwards or outwards towards a source of light, thereby preventing their escape back out through the entrance. These are bulky, difficult to empty and clean and not very efficient because insects tend not to enter cavities without inducement.
Simple fly-paper provides a sticky trap, which is hung vertically and which retains flies on adhesive on its surface when they land. Insecticide traps are similar, being constructed from a material which retains insecticide that is absorbed on contact by the insects when they land on the surface of the trap. However, sticky paper covered with flies is unsightly and difficult to handle.
Another type of trap is described in International patent publication number WO94/00980. Insects land on a powder coated surface of a funnel on which they are unable to grip with their feet and so they slide down the funnel into a retaining box or sticky surface.
Electrical traps generally have a light source to attract the insects. The insects land on a metal grid charged to a high voltage and are electrocuted when they bridge the gap between this and an earthed surface. Use of a large grid at high voltage and the particulate debris of disintegrating insects which is shed into the air are undesirable and can be a health hazard, for example when used in food preparation areas. In addition, the powerful light source illuminating the grid area and used as an attractant emits in the ultraviolet which can be damaging to vision.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a pest trap comprises retaining means; and one or more members having substantially smooth surfaces; wherein the or each member is mounted above the retaining means such that a pest displaced from the smooth surface falls into the retaining means.
The present invention has advantages over prior art traps in that it is a simple device which does not require a high voltage power supply and it exploits the natural inclination of pests to crawl over surfaces by providing a smooth member above retaining means with spaces so that insects land on the trap and slide off the smooth member into the retaining means, which can easily be emptied.
Preferably, the retaining means comprises opaque material. This is preferable for the user who does not see the accumulated trapped pests.
Preferably, the or each member is coated with electrostatically charged powder. This powder stops the pest from gripping, increasing the likelihood that the pest will fall into the retaining means.
Typically, the or each member comprises glass or plastics material.
At least one of the retaining means and the or each member may be provided with an attractant or toxic substance.
Preferably, the attractant is chosen from one of colour, food, food derived attractants or pheromones e.g. for houseflies, (Z)-9-tricosene pheromone.
Preferably, the toxic substance is a biologically active material.
The retaining means may further comprise a lining to which trapped pests adhere, such as an adhesive coating.
Alternatively, the trap further comprises an exit to permit pests to escape after being exposed to the toxic substance. By letting pests escape after exposure, they can carry the toxic substance away and pass it on to other pests.
Preferably, the or each member is at least part spherical in cross-section.
Preferably, the trap comprises a plurality of members, spaced from one another.
These members are generally all the same shape in one trap, e.g. they could be spherical, tubular, diamond shaped or polyhedral.
The members may be arranged in a single row, but preferably, the members are arranged in two or more rows, displaced form one another. In this way the pests fall down through the gaps, but it is made more difficult for them to escape again.


REFERENCES:
patent: 272372 (1883-02-01), Banks
patent: 2255360 (1941-09-01), Miller
patent: 3851417 (1974-12-01), Wunsche
patent: 4030233 (1977-06-01), Wunsche
patent: 4263740 (1981-04-01), Hemsarth et al.
patent: 4364194 (1982-12-01), Clark, Sr.
patent: 4423564 (1984-01-01), Davies et al.
patent: 4505065 (1985-03-01), Niemeyer
patent: 4519160 (1985-05-01), McBrayer
patent: 4608774 (1986-09-01), Sherman
patent: 4654998 (1987-04-01), Clay
patent: 4788789 (1988-12-01), Boobar et al.
patent: 4819370 (1989-04-01), Woodruff
patent: 5172514 (1992-12-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5513465 (1996-05-01), Demarest et al.
patent: 5771628 (1998-06-01), Nobbs
patent: 6108965 (2000-08-01), Burrows et al.
patent: 2171882 (1986-09-01), None
patent: 2275409 (1994-08-01), None
patent: WO 92/20224 (1992-11-01), None
patent: WO 93/22909 (1993-11-01), None
patent: WO 94/00980 (1994-01-01), None
patent: WO 94/18827 (1994-09-01), None

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