[Ice Chips]

Q:We are considering installing light traps to catch insects that get into the plant. Are they worth the cost?

A:As with any tool, the value depends on how you use it. Insect light traps (ILTs) have been used successfully in the food industry for many years. Companies that take the time to learn where they should be located and how to identify what they are catching have found ILTs to be very useful. However, if they are installed in the wrong place and ignored, they can lead to food product contamination or become a breeding location for insects feeding on the insects captured and killed by the trap.
An ILT produces a spectrum of UV light that insects recognize as a heat source. Some newer models, especially the glue board style, offer a variety of pheromone attractants to enhance the appeal of the light trap. Additionally, it is important to install ILTs in areas where they will not compete with other heat sources, such as high wattage mercury vapor lights. Sometimes, the best installation sites are found by trial and error. ILTs should not be used near entrances or installed in an area that would attract insects into a facility from the outside.
Light traps should always be looked at as a monitoring tool rather than a complete control device. They will not compensate for poor sanitation or poor integrity of the building. They will, however, capture a wide variety of insects, including several species of stored products pests, to alert you of their presence in a facility. Although pheromone traps attract only male stored product pests, ILTs attract both sexes. A close examination of the trap contents should be conducted at least weekly to identify the type and number of insects present. This will provide valuable information for the facility. I believe the ability to recognize an issue and respond to it before an infestation occurs justifies the costs associated with the traps.  AIB

The author is Head of Food Safety Sanitation, AIB.

Insect light traps (ILTs) have been used successfully in the food industry for many years. Companies that take the time to learn where they should be located and how to identify what they are catching have found ILTs to be very useful. However, if they are installed in the wrong place and ignored, they can lead to food product contamination or become a breeding location for insects feeding on the insects captured and killed by the trap.