Before the lamp, we made stink bug traps out of scrap wood. The first, built from plywood, caught thousands. This year's version uses two 2x4s and a 2x6 we had lying around. If you want a bigger trap, or want to build one from what you already have, here's how it works.
The design
- Size: about 30 inches tall and 17 inches wide. Really it only needs to be big enough to stretch out a pillowcase.
- Frame: two 2x4s and a 2x6, all scrap. Sand the top so the pillowcase slides on easily.
- Base: heavy, so it doesn't fall over.
- Light: a place to put a light inside the frame.
- Pan: the whole thing sits inside a metal oven roasting pan.
How to build it
Build the frame
Make a frame about 30" tall by 17" wide from scrap 2x4s and a 2x6 base. Sand the top edges so a pillowcase slides on smoothly. Wire or any other material works if you don't have wood.
Stretch a pillowcase over it
Pull a pillowcase over the frame. Fabric is great here: it has high surface area, and it soaks up insecticide.
Spray it outside and let it dry
Take the frame and pillowcase outside and spray the fabric with Home Defense Max. Let it dry. The active ingredient stays active on the fabric.
Set it in the pan and add the light
Put the frame inside a metal roasting pan and put a light inside it. Put it in a dark room and switch it on.
Empty the pan when it fills
Stink bugs land on the pillowcase, wander for a while, then die and drop into the pan. Slick pan walls keep survivors from escaping.
Want something easier?
The rice paper lamp version skips the woodworking. It has a light built in and plenty of surface area.