Aditya Prabhu of the University of Minnesota has used childhood experiences to develop an environmentally friendly method for trapping and killing invasive beetles, the Star Tribune reported.
His mother grew peaches in the garden, but Japanese beetles often damaged the delicious harvest.
The little critters ate the plant’s leaves, draining it of the energy it needed to produce fruit. With that memory in mind, Prabhu wanted to find a way to get rid of the pests without pesticides – which his mother actively avoided.
“The tree would be completely covered in Japanese beetles, which favor fruit trees and orchards,” he told the Star Tribune. “We grew them in the backyard so we could do it organically, but we only had one or two peaches because the trees were so exhausted.”
With help from finance student James Duquette, the computer engineering student was inspired by rapidly filling pheromone traps and developed a solution that could catch more insects without allowing some to escape.
The device has a net with pheromones that lure the bugs in, and they then come into contact with an insecticide lining. After being immobilized, the insects fall into a second net and die. Impressively, the bug killing balm is completely safe for humans and pets.
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“The problem with traditional pheromone traps is the sheer number of Japanese beetles; these traps can fill up with hundreds of thousands of beetles in a matter of days,” Prabhu said. “Our trap is really promising because you don’t have to empty the traps when they’re full. It lures and kills instead of attracting and baiting.”
Japanese beetles, which are particularly a problem in the Twin Cities area, can be a nightmare for growing crops and plants. With that in mind, Prabhu and Duquette are looking to partner with farms to improve crop yields without massively affecting profits. After securing $8,000 in corporate funding, they will take their trap to the masses, the Star Tribune reported.
Whether it’s Japanese beetles, Asian hornets or spotted lanternflies, controlling annoying pests without chemicals is beneficial for everyone. Prabhu’s traps ensure that harmful insects can be killed without toxic substances becoming airborne and endangering human health. At the same time, the traps can reduce the risk of soil contamination through spraying.
There are many safe and environmentally friendly ways to deal with pests in the garden, such as trapping plants or adding insect-repellent onions and garlic to the soil. But doing this on a large scale can be difficult, and Prabhu’s solution could make a big difference for healthy crops in Minnesota — and protect the health of the state’s residents.
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