Insect Trap Device and Method of Using

Abstract

An insect trap device and methods of using the device are described herein. In some embodiments, an insect trap includes a light source, a removable enclosure with at least one opening, an adhesive surface at least partially within the enclosure, and optics to redirect light from the light source onto an adhesive trapping surface. The light source may include at least one light emitting diode (LED). The optics may be attached to the removable enclosure, and may be located at least partially within the enclosure. The optics may include optical enhancers such as a reflector, a lens and/or a diffuser. The insect trap may further include an insect attractant that emits sound or scent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insect trap comprising:
 a. an inner sleeve having an adhesive surface; and   b. an outer sleeve comprising a lighting element and a mounting portion, wherein the lighting element is configured to emit light onto the inner sleeve and the mounting portion is configured to communicate with and receive power from a power source;
 wherein the inner sleeve can be inserted into the outer sleeve. 
   
     
     
         2 . An insect trap comprising:
 a. an inner sleeve having an adhesive surface; and   b. an outer sleeve comprising a lighting element and a power source, wherein the lighting element is configured to emit light onto the inner sleeve;
 wherein the inner sleeve can be inserted into the outer sleeve. 
   
     
     
         3 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the inner sleeve is removable. 
     
     
         4 . The insect trap of  claim 3  wherein the inner sleeve comprises a tab adapted for removing and/or replacing the inner sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the outer sleeve comprises a docking switch configured to activate the lighting element and the inner sleeve comprises a docking switch activator configured to activate the docking switch when the inner sleeve is engaged with the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The insect trap of  claim 5 , wherein the docking switch comprises a mechanical switch, an optical switch, an electronic switch, an electromechanical switch, or a Hall effect sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the mounting portion comprises electrically conductive prongs on a rear surface, wherein the prongs are adapted to mount the insect trap to a wall and provide power to the insect trap by inserting the insect trap into a standard household electrical wall socket. 
     
     
         8 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive surface is reflective. 
     
     
         9 . The insect trap of  claim 7  wherein the inner sleeve comprises a concave shape configured to reflect at least a portion of the light onto the wall. 
     
     
         10 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the mounting portion comprises a circuit board and the lighting element comprises one or more LED lights electrically coupled to the circuit board. 
     
     
         11 . The insect trap according to  claim 10 , wherein the LED lights are protected by a transparent or translucent window. 
     
     
         12 . The insect trap of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting element comprises at least one LED that emits UV light and at least one LED that emits visible light. 
     
     
         13 . The insect trap of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one LED that emits visible light emits blue light. 
     
     
         14 . The insect trap of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . The insect trap of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive is selected form the group consisting of acrylics, butyl rubber, natural rubber, nitriles, silicones, styrene block copolymers, styrene-ethylene/propylene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, and vinyl ethers. 
     
     
         16 . The insect trap according to  claim 1 , wherein the light creates spots of higher light intensity on the adhesive surface. 
     
     
         17 . The insect trap according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the inner sleeve has a width from about 20 mm to about 600 mm, or from about 20 mm to about 200 mm, or from about 20 mm to about 130 mm;   b. the inner sleeve has a height from about 20 mm to about 600 mm, or from about 20 mm to about 200 mm, or from about 20 mm to about 130 mm;   c. the inner sleeve has a depth from about 5 mm to about 150 mm, or from about 20 mm to about 130 mm, or from about 5 mm to 50 mm;   d. the outer sleeve has a width from about 20 mm to 600 mm wide, or from about 20 mm to 200 mm, or from about 20 mm to 130 mm;   e. the outer sleeve has a height from about 10 mm to 150 mm, or from about 10 mm to 100 mm; or   f. the outer sleeve has a depth from about 10 mm to 150 mm, or from about 10 mm to 80 mm, or from about 10 mm to about 50 mm.   
     
     
         18 . The insect trap according to  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive surface has a thickness of about 0.01 mm to about 1 mm, or from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm or about 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The insect trap according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner sleeve comprises a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, paper, paperboard, cardboard, paper pulp, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The insect trap according to  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive on the adhesive surface of the inner sleeve is transparent or translucent. 
     
     
         21 . The insect trap of  claim 7  wherein the mounting portion comprises two electrically conductive prongs. 
     
     
         22 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the outer sleeve is opaque. 
     
     
         23 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the inner sleeve is opaque. 
     
     
         24 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the inner sleeve is configured to align with the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         25 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the inner sleeve is configured to be dropped into the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         26 . The insect trap of  claim 1  wherein the inner sleeve includes a tab for holding on to the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         27 . A method comprising:
 a. providing an inner sleeve having an adhesive surface;   b. inserting the inner sleeve into an outer sleeve comprising a lighting element and a mounting portion, wherein the lighting element is configured to emit light onto the inner sleeve and the mounting portion is configured to communicate with and receive power from a power source;   c. coupling the outer sleeve to a power source to provide power to the lighting element, wherein the lighting element attracts an insect to the inner sleeve;   d. adhering an insect to the adhesive surface of the inner sleeve;   e. removing the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve, wherein upon removing the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve, the lighting element is powered off; and   f. disposing of the inner sleeve.