Unit for intercepting and capturing crawling insects and alike and for monitoring their presence

Abstract

There is disclosed an apparatus for intercepting and capturing crawling insects, comprising: a receptacle base, the receptacle base having an outer wall and an inner landing forming an entrapment cavity therebetween; and a removable lid adapted to engage the inner landing and substantially cover the receptacle base while forming a continuous opening between the lid and the outer wall of the receptacle base. A replaceable pad and a removable tray may be positioned between the receptacle base and removable lid to attract, immobilize, and exterminate insects. The apparatus is suitable for at least partially supporting the weight of an article placed thereon. In an embodiment, the article is a piece of furniture, and a plurality of units are positioned to each receive one leg of the piece of furniture thereon, such as a bed, sofa, upholstered items, and chairs. The apparatus is also suitable for use with any other articles which require protection from crawling insects.

1 . An apparatus for intercepting and capturing crawling insects, comprising:
 a receptacle base, the receptacle base having an outer wall and an inner landing forming an entrapment cavity therebetween; and   a removable lid adapted to engage the inner landing and substantially cover the receptacle base while forming a continuous opening between the lid and the outer wall of the receptacle base.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to at least partially support the weight of an article placed thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a plurality of studs adapted to function as support columns between the receptacle base and the lid, thereby to maintain the continuous opening between the removable lid and the outer wall of the receptacle base. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of studs are formed on the receptacle base. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle base and the removable lid are adapted to mechanically couple at the inner landing. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle base and the removable lid are adapted to mechanically couple at the plurality of studs adapted to function as support columns between the receptacle base and the lid. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a replaceable pad adapted to be inserted between the receptacle base and the removable lid. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the replaceable pad includes an aperture corresponding to the location of the inner landing. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the replaceable pad includes a plurality of apertures to correspond to the location of the inner landing and the plurality of studs adapted to function as support columns between the receptacle base and the lid. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner landing or one or more of the plurality of studs adapted to function as support columns between the receptacle base and the lid include a mechanical feature to position the removable pad at a desired height between the receptacle base and the removable lid. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , the replaceable pad comprises at least one surface made of an adhesive material to immobilize any crawling insects that have reached the replaceable pad. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable tray adapted to be positioned around the inner landing, and between the receptacle base and the removable lid. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the removable tray includes an outer wall and an inner wall to form a recessed basin for holding at least one of an insect attractant and an insecticide. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of raised apertures corresponding to the location of the inner landing and any studs adapted to function as support columns between the receptacle base and the lid. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the insect attractant is a pheromone. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the insect attractant is an insect bait. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the removable tray is substantially flat. 
     
     
         18 . A replaceable pad for the apparatus of  claim 1 , the replaceable pad including one or more apertures to accommodate any support structures between the receptacle base and the removable lid of the apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The replaceable pad of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one surface made of an adhesive material to immobilize any crawling insects that have reached the replaceable pad. 
     
     
         20 . A removable tray for the apparatus of  claim 1 , the removable tray including one or more apertures to accommodate any support structures between the receptacle base and the removable lid of the apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . The removable tray of  claim 20 , wherein the removable tray includes a recessed receptacle for holding one or more of an insect attractant and an insecticide.