JAPANESE BEETLE TRAP
Materials Required:
2 Two liter plastic soda bottles w/lids
12 Inches of thin wire
Some duct tape
Bait
Look at one of the two liter bottle and picture it as square, with four sides. Cut a hole two inches wide by seven inches long on each of the four sides of the
bottle, or if it's easier for you, just cut two opposing holes of a slightly
larger size. Next drill or punch a hole dead center in the bottom of the bottle, 1/8" in diameter.
Make a hook in one end of the wire and approximately 2 inches up from the bottom
of the hook make a large curl or circle in the wire to keep the hook from
sliding up to the bottom of the bottle. now slip the wire through the hole in
the side of the bottle and pass the wire through the hole in the bottom and the bait hangs about 2" below the bottom of the bottle, when you hold the
wire with the bottle upside down. Now take the 2 lids and either
drill or cut a 5/8 inch hole in the tops. Next, using a hot glue
gun, glue the tops together so that you can screw a bottle in each
top. The bottom bottle must not have holes in it. Use the
wire to tie the trap to a tree limb or Shepard's hook at least 20 feet from the
plants you are trying to protect, but not more than 30 feet away. When the trap is full,
just screw the bottom bottle out of the bottom lid and replace it with a new
bottle. If you saved some extra lids, put one on the full bottle and
throw it in the garbage.
BAIT:
Fruit cocktail in a sack made from the toe of a nylon stocking or from the toe some panty hose makes an excellent lure container and the fruit cocktail is a good bait.
You can purchase an excellent sex lure in most hardware stores or discount stores.
We store our baits in a canning jar over the winter and have been able to use
them for several years before requiring new bait. If you warm the
jar, place the baits inside and screw the top on tightly, it seals as it cools,
keeping the baits like new.