Abstract:
An insect trap ( 100, 200 ) having an entrapment chamber ( 110, 210 ) comprising one or more compartments, a tapered guide ( 130, 260 ) extending into each compartment, and an entry structure ( 120, 240 ) providing insect access to each compartment. The tapered guides optionally include a plurality of projections defining a crown structure for discouraging insect egress from the trap. The entry structures each define a plurality of entry apertures or entryways that are physically separated such that interactions between insects at different entryways is reduced or eliminated.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/200,820, filed Aug. 28, 2008, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/013,936, filed Dec. 14, 2007, the disclosures of each of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Flying insects, for example, various social wasps, including paper wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets, can be a significant nuisance and a potential hazard to people and animals engaged in outdoor activities. Such flying insects can be prevalent in rural settings and even in very well-developed residential areas. Various species of insects, flying and otherwise, are also common in agricultural settings and in other commercial processing venues, including, for example, meat packing factories, food processing facilities, and livestock ranches. 
     Traps for flying insects are known in the art and often have been quite successful at trapping target insects. For example, the inventor of the insect trap disclosed herein pioneered conical element hanging traps, such as the wasp traps described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,941, which issued on Nov. 12, 1985, to Schneidmiller, and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Schneidmiller discloses a transparent cylindrical insect trap that is selective to entrapping wasps. A “wasp” is a generic name applied to insects of the order Hymenoptera, which includes particularly paper wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. The present inventor also discloses certain improvements to the insect trap in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,880, also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. More recently, a multi-chambered trap with spaced entryways is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/200,820 by the present inventor, which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Previously patented trap structures include a transparent, generally cylindrical entrapment chamber that is open at the bottom, and a base that attaches to the bottom of the entrapment chamber, and defines one or more entryways for the target insect. In the prior art device, the entrapment chamber also includes ventilation openings at the top end of the cylindrical entrapment chamber. The entryways in the base are apertures that permit and encourage entry into the entrapment chamber by wasps. An entry cone shaped as a truncated cone or tapered guide is disposed in the entrapment chamber. The tapered guide is open at the bottom, which is directly adjacent to the perimeter at the bottom of the entrapment chamber, and includes a smaller open aperture at the top end of the tapered guide. Wasps or other target insects enter the trap through the entryways, and fly or climb into the cone, passing through the smaller aperture in its truncated upper end. The target insect thereby becomes entrapped in the cylindrical chamber. Once the target insect is inside the chamber, exiting is highly improbable. 
     Insect traps may utilize one or more attractants to lure target insects into the trap. The attractant may be as simple as water, or may be a chemical attractant that is targeted to a particular species. For example, the attractant may be an olfactory attractant for the target insect. In one embodiment, the attractant is a volatile attractant formed into a solid with a polyurethane matrix, such that the attractant will evaporate and escape from the matrix over a period of time. The attractant may combine water with a volatile olfactory attractant, wherein the volatile olfactory attractant mixes with vapors from a chemical attractant and/or water in a separate container, the mixed vapors exiting the trap in a plume. An effective attractant plume will attract the target insects toward the trap, and in particular toward the trap entryway. Various attractants or combination of attractants may be used, including both solid and liquid attractants, providing great flexibility in selecting from a range and combination of attractants. 
     Portions of the trap may be colored and/or reflective to visually attract one or more target insects, and/or a volatile olfactory attractant may be provided to aid in attracting the target insect(s). Any such coloring and attractant may be selected to entice or attract a particular species of insect, providing a high degree of selectivity to the trap. 
     However, it is known that certain species of insects are territorial, and/or do not co-mingle. Members of a territorial insect species may be mutually or unilaterally antagonistic and/or repulsive toward other insect species. Sometimes mutually antagonistic species share a common environment (such as a residential yard, an orchard, a field, a wooded area, or the like) but avoid or repel each other when they come into close proximity. In such cases, conventional insect traps may be ineffective for one or more desired target species due to the close-proximity repulsion between target species. 
     It is believed that further improvements in trap designs for insects may be discovered by studying the social and other behaviors of the target insects, and adapting the trap design to take advantage of the insects&#39; innate behavioral and instinctive characteristics. 
     There remains a need, therefore, for improvements in insect traps that are suitable for entrapping more than one species of insect. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     An insect trap is disclosed that includes an entrapment chamber defining a compartment having an open end, a tapered guide that extends into the compartment, and a first entry structure that is removably attached to the open end of the compartment. The first entry structure has a plurality of entry apertures therethrough that are positioned below the tapered guide and provide insect access to the first compartment. The first entry structure includes a plurality of external fins that define barriers between the entry apertures, such that insects arriving at different entry apertures are less likely to interact with each other. 
     In an embodiment the first entry structure further comprises a center recess that is configured to retain an attractant. 
     The tapered guide may comprise a truncated cone having a smaller open top end, a larger open bottom end that is snuggly disposed in the open end of the compartment, and a plurality of apertures therethrough that provide the insects a perch. The tapered guide may include a substantially cylindrical lower portion and/or a crown structure at the smaller open end. 
     In an embodiment, the first entry structure further comprises a plurality of peripheral slots spaced about a periphery of the first entry structure that are positioned at a distal end of the converging channels defined by the external fins and the entry apertures are positioned at the proximal end of the converging channels. 
     In an embodiment, the entrapment chamber further comprises a second compartment having an open end, wherein the second compartment is separated from the first compartment, and a second entry structure providing insect access to the second compartment. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an insect trap in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the insect trap shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary, detail view of a portion of the trap shown in  FIG. 1 , showing aspects of the lower cone structure; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the entry structure in isolation for the insect trap shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a bottom view of the entry structure for the insect trap shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an insect trap in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the insect trap shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary, detail view of a portion of the trap shown in  FIG. 5 , showing aspects of the upper structure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of insect traps in accordance with the present invention will now be illustrated by showing currently preferred embodiments of insect traps, and with reference to the FIGURES, wherein like numbers indicate like part. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an insect trap  100  that is suitable for trapping flying insects. Refer also to  FIG. 2 , which shows an exploded view of the insect trap  100 . The insect trap  100  has an entrapment chamber  110  that is closed at the top  112 , and open at the bottom  114 . An entry structure  120  is removably attached to the entrapment chamber  110 . In a current embodiment, the entry structure  120  threadably engages the lower end  114  of the entrapment chamber  110 . However, it will be apparent that other attachment means are possible as are known in the art, for example utilizing a friction fit, tab and slot arrangements, external attachment members, or the like. 
     Although not required for the present invention, in the preferred embodiment the entrapment chamber  110  is formed generally as a transparent or translucent, circular cylinder. The color and translucence of the entrapment chamber  110  may be selected, for example, to attract a particular target insect, to deter pests or other animals that are not target insects, or to accommodate aesthetic considerations. A hanging nib  116  defining a through-aperture  118  is shown at the top of the entrapment chamber  110 , to facilitate hanging the trap  100 . 
     A tapered guide  130  extends into the entrapment chamber  110  from the open bottom end  114 , and is retained therein by the entry structure  120 . The tapered guide  130  is shaped generally as a truncated cone, having a smaller open top end  132 , and a larger open bottom end  134 . In this embodiment, the guide  130  includes a lower, generally cylindrical portion  135  sized to fit snugly in the entrapment chamber  110 , and an outwardly extending annular rim  136  that abuts the bottom of the entrapment chamber  110 . 
     The tapered guide  130  includes a plurality of apertures  137  therethrough, which in this embodiment are generally elongate, rectangular slots. The apertures  137 , which are preferably disposed near an upper end of the tapered guide  130 , allow light to pass through, such that in suitable lighting the upper portion of the guide will be better illuminated, providing a sense of openness, and encouraging target insects to proceed into the tapered guide  130 . The apertures  137  also provide a perch for such insects. 
       FIG. 3  shows a fragmentary view of the insect trap  100 , showing details of the tapered guide  130 . A novel aspect of the tapered guide  130  is a crown structure  138  disposed at the open top end  132 . The crown structure  138  comprises a plurality of upward extensions (eight shown) spaced circumferentially about the open top end  132 . The crown structure  138  tends to discourage or inhibit insects that have entered the entrapment chamber  110  through the tapered guide  130 , from re-entering the tapered guide  130  and exiting the entrapment chamber  110 . 
       FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the entry structure  120 , and  FIG. 4B  shows a bottom view of the entry structure  120 . The entry structure  120  attaches to the entrapment chamber  110 , e.g., after the tapered guide  130  has been inserted into the open lower end  114 . The entry structure  120  defines a central recess  121 , which may be used, for example, to support or retain an attractant (not shown) for attracting one or more targeted insects. The attractant may be in liquid or solid form, and may be as simple as water, or a more complex organic or chemical attractant. A plurality of entryways  122  are defined in the entry structure  120 . In this embodiment the entryways  122  comprise apertures  123  defined by upright tubular members. A plurality of slots  124  are spaced about the perimeter of the entry structure  120 . The slots  124  provide an opening that allows attractant to exit the trap  100  to form a plume. The attractant may exit the trap  100  by diffusion, by pressure driven outflow resulting from changes in temperature in the entrapment chamber  110 , and/or by convection or airflow initiated by external air entering the trap  100  from one or more of the slots  124 . Of course, attractant may also exit the entryway apertures  123 , wherein attractant from an entryway aperture  123  and slot  124  may cooperatively form the plume. The attractant plume tends to urge the target insects toward the trap  100 , and specifically toward the trap entryways  122 . 
     As seen most clearly from comparing  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , the bottom of the entry structure  120  defines a plurality of panels or fins  125  comprising radially oriented walls extending from the central recess structure  121  to the periphery of the entry structure  120 . The fins  125  define a plurality of converging channels, each channel leading to one of the entryway apertures  123 . The fins  125  are substantially planar, upright walls, although other configurations are clearly possible. The fins  125  provide several advantages. For example, the fins  125  separate neighboring entryway apertures  123 , thereby reducing the opportunity for multiple insects arriving at the same time from interacting with each other. This allows the entryway apertures  123  to be located closer together without increasing insect interference. The fins  125  also guide the insects toward the aperture  123 , thereby tending to encourage target insects to enter the trap through the entry aperture  123 . Also, the fins  125  tend to guide and retain the attractant plume, to better entice the target insects into the trap  100 . 
     A second embodiment of an insect trap  200  in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 5-7 .  FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the insect trap  200 ,  FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of the insect trap  200 , and  FIG. 7  shows a detail view showing a second entry structure  240 . Certain aspects of this embodiment of the trap  200  are similar to corresponding aspects of trap  100  discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 1-4B . Generally, where similar elements are shown, the identifiers are the same. Similar aspects will not be described again for clarity and brevity. 
     Also, the insect trap  200  shares many aspects with the insect traps disclosed and illustrated in the applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/200,820 filed on Aug. 28, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the insect trap  200  includes an entrapment chamber  210  having multiple, separate compartments. In this embodiment a lower first compartment  211  is separated from a second compartment  213  by a transverse wall  215 . It is contemplated by the present invention that more than two compartments may alternatively be provided. The entrapment chamber  210  is preferably transparent or semi-transparent, although it is contemplated that for some target species an opaque entrapment chamber may be preferred. 
     A first entry structure  120  is removably attached to a lower end  214  of the entrapment chamber  210 , providing insect access to the first compartment  211 . The first entry structure  120  is discussed above. In particular, the first entry structure  120  includes a plurality of entryways  122  providing access to the first compartment  211 , a central recess  121  that may be used to retain an attractant, a plurality of circumferential slots  124 , and a plurality of fins  125  that in the current embodiment are generally radially oriented to define converging channels leading to a corresponding entryway  122 . 
     A tapered guide  130  is removably disposed in the first compartment  211 . The tapered guide  130  is described above, and includes an open top end  132  with a crown structure  138  to deter insect egress, an open bottom end  134 , and a plurality of apertures  137  through a conical portion of the tapered guide  130 . The entrapment chamber transverse wall  215  is located above and spaced away from the top end of the tapered guide  130 . 
     The entrapment chamber  210  has a second open end  212  that provides access to the second compartment  213 , and is adapted or configured to receive a second entry structure  240 . The second entry structure  240  includes an attachment fixture  242 , an annular lid  250 , and a tapered guide  260 . A detail, partially cutaway view showing the second entry structure is shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     The lid  250  releasably engages the upper end  212  of the entrapment chamber  210 , for example by threadable engagement, friction fit or any other suitable attachment. The lid  250 , which may be at least partially transparent to allow ambient light into the trap  200 , includes a center aperture  252  and a plurality of short, radial slots  254 . In this embodiment, the aperture  252  is defined by a downwardly curving lip portion  256 , to further facilitate target insects entering the trap  200 . 
     The attachment fixture  242  includes an upper cap  244  having an optional hanging nib  245  to facilitate hanging the trap  200 . A divider  246  extends downwardly from the cap  244  defining a plurality of radial panels (three shown) that are sized and positioned to slidably engage the short slots  254  in the lid  250 . 
     As seen most clearly in  FIG. 6 , the divider  246  includes a plurality of tabs  247  that engage corresponding apertures  269  in the tapered guide  260 . To assemble the second entry structure, the divider  246  extends through the slits  254  in the lid  250 , and the tabs  247  engage apertures  269  in the tapered guide  260 . 
     As seen most clearly in  FIG. 7 , the tapered guide  260  includes a truncated conic portion  261  having a smaller open end  262 , a larger open end  264 , and a plurality of spaced apertures  267 . The larger open end  264  of the guide  260  is sized to fit around or receive a portion of the curved lip  256  of the lid  250 . Wing members  266  extend from near the top of the tapered guide  260 , defining a plurality of apertures or openings  268 . The openings  268  may be used to hold vials of attractant (not shown), or the like. 
     The divider  246  includes a distal portion that extends a distance into the conic portion  261 , and is shaped to approximately conform to the inner surface of the conic portion. The divider  246  and tapered guide  260 , therefore, cooperatively define three entryways into the second compartment  213  that are effectively isolated from each other. The separate entryways separate target insects arriving at different entryways, such that the insects are unlikely to interact or interfere with each other. Of course, the particular number of entryways is a matter of design choice, and fewer than three, or more than three entryways are contemplated. 
     It is contemplated that in use, one or more attractants may be retained by the wing members  266 , producing one or more plumes of attractant that emanate from the second entry structure  240 . It is believed that at a distance the plumes from the second entry structure  240  are likely to merge, producing a relatively strong plume to attract target insects. Near the second entry structure  240 , the plumes should remain separated, such that target insects will be attracted to one of the entryways, thereby allowing multiple insects to access the trap  200  without substantially interfering with each other. 
     Similarly, an attractant may be provided in the first entry structure  120 , such that plural insects may simultaneously be trapped in the first compartment  211  without, or with minimal, mutual interference. 
     By improving the efficiency of the insect traps the number of traps required to achieve a desired level of efficacy will be reduced. 
     In the present embodiment, the attachment fixture  242  and tapered guide  260  are attached to each other and slidably engage the lid  250 . This conveniently allows the second entry structure  240  to be closed by sliding the attachment fixture downwardly such that the cap portion  244  closes the lid center aperture  252 . This facilitates packaging and shipping of the trap  200 , for example. It will be appreciated, and it is contemplated herein, that a crown structure may be provided on the smaller open end  262  of the tapered guide  260 , similar to the crown structure  138  described above, to discourage insect egress from the second compartment  213 . 
     While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.