Purpose: I invented the Sail trap to collect small flying insects at or near the leaf or bark surface. It works well for whiteflies, male scales, parasitoids and other small jumping or flying insects. It can be placed on either the leaf surface, bark or twigs. It can also be configured vertically or horizontally. Horizontal orientation may work better for collection of emerging insects such as male scales or parasitoids from scales.

The trap works well to determine the phenology (seasonal abundance) of scales because it collects the males as they emerge and will also collect the parasitoids as they arrive or emerge. By removing and replacing the traps on a schedule, determination of the timing and relative populations occurring can be determined. Trap catch can be augmented with bark samples that are both dissected and reared for their contents to provide the complete biological picture.

The insects can be removed from the stickem using d-limonene (available from Fisher Scientific as Hemo-D) or xylene. The hand cleaner GoJo or Orange glo have the same active ingredient.

Materials: Insect pins, small piece of balsa wood or rubber cork, overhead transparency sheets or plastic sheeting of a similar nature, Stickem special - Tanglefoot, cooking oil or transmission fluid and bright yellow paint.

Directions: Paint the plastic sheeting first, let it dry then cut it into squares of about 2 to 3 cm. Put an insect pin through the plastic as shown below. Coat with sticky material and place in box or container to carry. Cut some small pieces of rubber cork, balsa wood or other material that the pin can stick into if you are placing the traps on leaves

Note: This sampling technique works great when combined with the bucket sampling technique.