Trap Crop Pest Control

Lure insect pests away from your hard-earned harvest by planting a system of “traps” throughout your growing spaces.

By Lisa Munniksma
Published on February 7, 2022
article image
by AdobeStock/Yevhenii

My Kentucky garden has stink bugs, leaf-footed bugs, and aphids. These insects have also been spotted in entomologist Ayanava Majumdar’s research gardens in India, North Dakota, and Alabama, and wherever you are, they’re probably in your garden too. They’re among the most devastating pests for anyone growing food, and farmers and gardeners have gone to great lengths to keep them from destroying plants.

If these and other insects plague your growing season, you’ve likely spent considerable time, effort, and expense trying to eradicate them. This year, when you’re planning your defense strategy, consider planting a few extra plants for insect pests to munch on. It may not seem like the obvious solution to the problem, but this type of well-laid “trap” might be just the thing your garden needs.

sunflowers growing on the edge of a field of crops

Developing Decoys

Majumdar – known to his students at Auburn University as “Dr. A” – first studied and worked in entomology in Uttarakhand, India. When he moved to North Dakota for his doctorate and then to Alabama for his work with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, he found that many insects have a global reach.
“The U.S. has the same insect spectrum as in India, just the timing is different because the crops are different,” says Majumdar, who’s in his 10th year as a state coordinator for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. “In the tropics, there are more generations of insects to deal with. Here, we are blessed with a killing cold, and that helps a lot.”

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-803-7096