Surfaces incorporating treated leaves for physical capture of arthropods

Abstract

An article for capturing arthropods includes a carrier substrate and a plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof attached to the carrier substrate. Characteristically, the hydroxyl-treated leaves include a plurality of trichomes extending from a surface of the hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. A method for forming the article is also provided.

Description

SURFACES INCORPORATING TREATED LEAVES FOR PHYSICAL CAPTURE OFARTHROPODSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 63 / 532,590 filed August 14, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] In at least one aspect, the present invention is related to articles for entrapping bed bugs.BACKGROUND

[0003] Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) are an ancient scourge that have made a dramatic comeback in recent years across the globe, infesting structures such as homes, hotels, schools, movie theaters, and hospitals. There was a decline of bed bug infestations in the 1940's and 1950's following the application of DDT and other potent pesticides legal at the time. The recent resurgence of bed bug infestations occurring both domestically and internationally has led to a renewed interest in the development of new, more environmentally friendly and sustainable methods to capture, control, and prevent bed bugs.

[0004] To date, the primary strategy for bed bug abatement has been to develop and apply chemical pesticides. However, bed bugs have grown resistant to many of the commonly used pesticides making this approach increasingly ineffective. In addition, reliance upon pesticides is increasingly perceived as imprudent because of the large amount of potentially harmful chemicals that must be applied indoors in bedrooms and other sensitive locations. Non-chemical abatement methods such as heat, cold, vacuuming, and bed encasement, are being utilized as well but tend to be laborious, costly, and frequently ineffective. Such methods also tend to be curative rather than preventative in nature.

[0005] Some plants have microscopic, hooked hairs on the surfaces of their leaves that entrap some insect pests by piercing the insect as it walks. However, only fresh leaves have this property of entrapment. For example, fresh leaves from bean plants entrap bed bugs (and some other insects). However, within about 24 hours, leaves removed from the plant become dried out and no longer entrap bed bugs.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for non-chemical methods for preventing and removing arthropods such as bed bugs.SUMMARY

[0007] In at least one aspect, an article for capturing arthropods is provided. The article includes a carrier substrate and a plurality of hydroxy 1-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof attached to the carrier substrate. Characteristically, the hydroxyl-treated leaves include a plurality of trichomes extending from a surface of the hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. A method for forming the article is also provided.

[0008] In another aspect, an article for capturing arthropods is provided. The article includes a carrier substrate and a plurality of polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof attached to the carrier substrate. Characteristically, the polyol-treated leaves include a plurality of trichomes extending from a surface of the polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. A method for forming the article is also provided.

[0009] In another aspect, a method for forming the article that captures arthropods is provided. The method includes steps of providing untreated leaves or fragments thereof and treating the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof with an aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution to form a plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. Advantageously, the untreated leaves and the hydroxyl-treated leaves include a plurality of trichomes extending from the surface of the hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. The plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof is attached to a carrier substrate.

[0010] In another aspect, a method for forming the article that captures arthropods is provided. The method includes steps of providing untreated leaves or fragments thereof and treating the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof with an aqueous polyol-containing solution to form a plurality of polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. Advantageously, the untreated leaves and the polyol-treated leaves include a plurality of trichomes extending from the surface of the polyol- treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. The plurality of polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof is attached to a carrier substrate.

[0011] In another aspect, the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are derived from Phaseolus vulgaris or other plant species with similar hooked trichomes such as Phaseolus coccineus, Phaseolus limensis, and Passiflora morifolia.

[0012] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present disclosure, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

[0014] FIGURE 1A. Cross section of an article for capturing arthropods.

[0015] FIGURE IB. Cross section of an article for capturing arthropods.

[0016] FIGURE 1C. Cross section of a leaf having trichomes extending from a surface.

[0017] FIGURE 2. Cross section of a carrier substrate for capturing arthropods with additional refinements.

[0018] FIGURE 3. Schematic flow chart depicting a method for making the article of Figures 1A and IB.

[0019] FIGURE 4. Diagram of a square arena in which bed bugs were placed to evaluate and compare the entrapping efficacy of different materials presented two at a time as shown. The square arenas were 8 cm x 8 cm. The rectangular strips of testing material were 2.5 cm on a side and were placed contiguously as shown, such that one half of the arena had one material (e.g., smaller leftleaning hatch) around the perimeter, and the other side had the other testing material (e.g., larger rightleaning hatch). The orientation of the arena was rotated 90 degrees between recordings to avoid unintended artifacts associated with room stimuli.

[0020] FIGURE 5. Bar chart showing the percent of bed bugs entrapped on each of the two materials within 5 minutes. Bed bugs were placed in the center of a square area which had two different materials around the perimeter (see Figure 4). Bed bugs were tested one at a time (n = 24 bugs for each of the two-choice evaluations).DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred compositions, embodiments and methods of the present invention, which constitute the best modes of practicing the invention presently known to the inventors. The Figures are not necessarily to scale. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for any aspect of the invention and / or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0022] Except in the examples, or where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of reaction and / or use are to be understood as modified by the word "about" in describing the broadest scope of the invention. Practice within the numerical limits stated is generally preferred. Also, unless expressly stated to the contrary: percent, "parts of," and ratio values are by weight; the term "polymer" includes "oligomer,""copolymer," "terpolymer," and the like; molecular weights provided for any polymers refers to weight average molecular weight unless otherwise indicated; the description of a group or class of materials as suitable or preferred for a given purpose in connection with the invention implies that mixtures of any two or more of the members of the group or class are equally suitable or preferred; description of constituents in chemical terms refers to the constituents at the time of addition to any combination specified in the description, and does not necessarily preclude chemical interactions among the constituents of a mixture once mixed; the first definition of an acronym or other abbreviation applies to all subsequent uses herein of the same abbreviation and applies mutatis mutandis to normal grammatical variations of the initially defined abbreviation; and, unless expressly stated to the contrary, measurement of a property is determined by the same technique as previously or later referenced for the same property.

[0023] It is also to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and / or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0024] It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular form "a," "an," and "the" comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to comprise a plurality of components.

[0025] The term “comprising” is synonymous with “including,” “having,” “containing,” or “characterized by.” These terms are inclusive and open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

[0026] The phrase “consisting of’ excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim. When this phrase appears in a clause of the body of a claim, rather than immediately following the preamble, it limits only the element set forth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim as a whole.

[0027] The phrase “consisting essentially of’ limits the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps, plus those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter.

[0028] With respect to the terms “comprising,” “consisting of,” and “consisting essentially of,” where one of these three terms is used herein, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter can include the use of either of the other two terms.

[0029] The phrase “composed of’ means “including” or “comprising.” Typically, this phrase is used to denote that an object is formed from a material.

[0030] It should also be appreciated that integer ranges explicitly include all intervening integers. For example, the integer range 1-10 explicitly includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Similarly, the range 1 to 100 includes 1, 2, 3, 4. . . . 97, 98, 99, 100. Similarly, when any range is called for, intervening numbers that Eire increments of the difference between the upper limit and the lower limit divided by 10 can be taken as alternative upper or lower limits. For example, if the range is 1.1. to 2.1 the following numbers 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0 can be selected as lower or upper limits. In the specific examples set forth herein, concentrations, temperature, and reaction conditions (e.g. pressure, pH, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 50 percent of the values indicated rounded to three significant figures.

[0031] In the examples set forth herein, concentrations, temperature, and reaction conditions (e.g., pressure, pH, flow rates, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 50 percent of the values indicated rounded to or truncated to two significant figures of the value provided in the examples. In a refinement, concentrations, temperature, and reaction conditions (e.g., pressure, pH, flow rates, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 30 percent of the values indicated rounded to or truncated to two significant figures of the value provided in the examples. In another refinement, concentrations, temperature, and reaction conditions (e.g., pressure, pH, flow rates, etc.) can be practiced with plus or minus 10 percent of the values indicated rounded to or truncated to two significant figures of the value provided in the examples.

[0032] The term “hydroxyl compound” refers to organic compounds that include one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups attached to a carbon atom. In particular, the hydroxyl groups are attached to hydrocarbon groups. Such carbon groups can be Ci-io alkyl groups. The term includes alcohols, diols, and polyols.

[0033] Referring to Figures 1A, IB, and 1C, schematics depicting an article for capturing arthropods are provided. Article 10 includes a carrier substrate 12 and a plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves 14 and / or fragments thereof attached to the carrier substrate. In this context, the term “hydroxyl- treated” means that the leaves are treated with a hydroxyl compound as defined above. The hydroxyl- treated leaves 14 include a plurality of trichomes 16 extending from a surface 18 of the hydroxyl- treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. Typically, the arthropods are terrestrial arthropods, and in particular, hematophagous terrestrial arthropods. Moreover, the arthropods that can be entrapped usually have a body length of at most 1 inch. Examples of hematophagous terrestrial arthropods that can be entrapped by article 10 are bed bugs Cimex lectularius L. In addition, the arthropods that can be entrapped can be arachnids such as ticks and spiders or insects such as cockroaches. Advantageously, the hydroxyl-treated leaves 14 are stable for entrapping arthropods for at least 1 year.

[0034] In another aspect, article 10 can be incorporated into materials that could be used as carpet liners, strips along mattress covers, box springs, baseboards, headboards, suitcase liners, fabric covering chairs, and the like. Since bed bugs do not fly but only walk, article 10, which entraps the bed bugs, would stop the bed bugs from spreading and would eventually kill them.

[0035] In another aspect, the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves 14 and / or fragments are formed from untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof. In a refinement, the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are derived from Phaseolus vulgaris or other plant species with similar hooked trichomes such as Phaseolus coccineus, Phaseolus limensis, and Passiflora morifolia.

[0036] Referring to Figure 2, the carrier substrate 12 includes a first adhesive layer 20 disposed over a base substrate 22. The first adhesive layer 20 adheres the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. In a refinement, carrier substrate 12 further includes a second adhesive layer 24 for mounting to another object. In a further refinement, carrier substrate 12 further includes aremovable sheet 26 contacting the second adhesive layer. Removable sheet 26 can be peeled off to attach article 10 to an object.

[0037] In another aspect, the carrier substrate 12 can be composed of fabric, paper or cardboard.

[0038] In another aspect, the plurality of hydroxy 1-treated leaves 14 and / or fragments thereof can be glued to carrier substrate 12.

[0039] Referring to Figure 3, a schematic flowchart depicting a method for forming the article that captures arthropods is provided. In step a), untreated leaves 30 or fragments thereof, are provided. In step b), the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are treated with an aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution to form a plurality of hydroxy 1-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. In a refinement, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes water and a component selected from the group consisting of alcohols, diols, polyols, and combinations thereof. In a further refinement, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes water and a component selected from the group consisting of Ci-6 alcohols, Ci-6 diols, Ci-6 polyols, and combinations thereof. In still a further refinement, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a polyol, and in particular, a C2-6 polyol. In a further refinement, the polyols are diol or triols. A particularly useful example of a polyol is glycerol (i.e., a triol). Advantageously, the untreated leaves 30 and the hydroxyl-treated leaves 14 include a plurality of trichomes 16 extending from a surface of the hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof. In step c), the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves 14 and / or fragments thereof is attached to a carrier substrate 12. Details for carrier substrate 12 are set forth above. In a refinement, the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are derived from Phaseolus vulgaris or other plant species with similarly shaped trichomes (e.g., similarly hooked trichomes) such as Phaseolus coccineus, Phaseolus limensis, and Passiflora morifolia.

[0040] In another aspect, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to- water volume ratio from 1 :4 to 1 : 1. In some refinements, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water volume ratio from 1 :4 to 1:3 or 1:3 to 1 :2.5 or 1 :2.5 to 1:1.75 or 1 :1.75 to 1:1. In a refinement, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water volume ratio of about 1 :2. In a variation, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution further includes ethanol or other alcohols (e.g., Ci-6 alcohols). In a refinement, the ethanol is present in an amount from about 2 to 15 volume percent (e.g., about 10 volume percent).

[0041] In another aspect, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water molar ratio from 1 :20 to 1 :4. In some refinements, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water molar ratio of at least 1:30, 1:20, 1 :18, 1:16, 1:10, 1:5 or 1:1. In other refinements, the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water molar ratio of at most 3:1, 2:1, 1 :1, 1 :2, 1:4, 1 :6, 1:8, or 1:10.

[0042] In another aspect, the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof is attached to the carrier substrate by incorporating the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof into a paper pulp slurry and then forming a paper sheet from the paper pulp slurry. In the paper-making process, the paper pulp slurry is poured onto a mesh to remove water and form a paper sheet which is dried and further processed to form a paper sheet. By incorporating the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments into the pulp slurry, the resulting paper will include at least some exposed hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

[0043] The following examples illustrate the various embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize many variations that are within the spirit of the present invention and scope of the claims.

[0044] The polyol-treated leaves are formed as follows. Appropriate plants (Phaseolus vulgaris, red kidney bean variety) are grown in greenhouse inside enclosures to keep the number of insect pests (e.g., aphids, whiteflies) down to a minimum. A number of leaves (trifoliates, not cotyledons) within a certain size range (7-14 cm in length) are carefully picked. The lower surfaces of the leaves work better in capturing bed bugs (the hooked trichomes are more numerous there). Therefore, the less active surface (i.e., the upper surface of the leaves) on each leaf is marked with two small dots of paint (black Sharpie). The leaves are soaked in an appropriate solution (33% glyceroland 10% ethanol by volume in water) for about 4 days (flip within solution after 2 days). The leaves are removed from the solution, and placed in a single layer on paper towels with the less active surface in contact with the paper towel. Any excess solution is patted gently off with paper towels, and the leaves are allowed to air dry for about 2 days. The color of the leaves changes a little from green to a faded greenish-yellow during drying. The treated leaves are stored in Ziplock bags at room temperature. An article for capturing arthropods is made from the treated leaves by carefully gluing them in a single layer to a paper backing (e.g., ordinary printer paper) in such a way that there are minimal spaces between adjacent leaves, and the active side is up (the less active side is glued to the paper).

[0045] Leaves were successfully stored at room temperature in Ziplock bags in groups for over a year. Periodically, leaves would be tested by placing bed bugs on them and evaluating whether walking bed bugs become permanently impaled or not. This material (generated by simply gluing the preserved leaves onto a backing such as paper) continued to work indefinitely (over a year).

[0046] Figure 4 depicts an experimental arrangement for evaluating leaf-derived material. The leaf-derived material was evaluated in small arenas in two-choice tests against other entrapping materials (fresh leaves, carpet tape, and glue traps). A single bed bug was placed in the center of the square arena, and its movements recorded for 5 minutes. Six different 2-choice comparisons were made between four different materials (fresh bean leaves, leaf-derived material, carpet tape, and glue trap). Twenty-four bed bugs were tested one at a time for each 2-choice comparison, for a total of 144 recordings using 144 different bed bugs (6 X 24). Within a five minute period, most of the bed bugs in an arena with fresh leaf material or leaf-derived material were entrapped (Figure 5). During the same period, -5-30% of the bed bugs became entrapped on the sticky surfaces (carpet tape or glue trap). Examination of the behavior of the bed bugs in the video recordings showed that bed bugs tended to back away from a sticky / tacky surface after initial contact, and were much less likely to back away from the non-sticky leaf or leaf-derived material.

[0047] Figure 5 provides the percentage of bed bugs entrapped on each of the two materials within 5 minutes. Bed bugs were placed in the center of a square area which had two different materials around the perimeter (see Figure 4). Bed bugs were tested one at a time (n = 24 bugs for each of thetwo-choice evaluations). Figure 5 clearly demonstrates the superior ability of polyol-treated leaves in entrapping bed bugs.

[0048] Procedure for making leaf-derived material that entraps bed bugs

[0049] To create a leaf-derived material that entraps bed bugs, specific plants (Phaseolus vulgaris, red kidney bean variety) are cultivated in the UCI greenhouse within enclosures to minimize insect pests such as aphids and whiteflies. Leaves (trifoliates, not cotyledons) within a size range of 7-14 cm in length are carefully selected. The lower surfaces of the leaves, which are more effective in capturing bed bugs due to the abundance of hooked trichomes, are marked on the upper (less active) surface with two small dots of black paint (using a Sharpee marker).

[0050] These leaves are then soaked in a solution of 33% glycerol and 10% ethanol in water for about four days, with a flip in the solution after two days. Following the soaking period, the leaves are removed, laid in a single layer on paper towels with the less active surface against the towel, gently patted to remove excess solution, and air-dried for about two days. During drying, the color of the leaves transitions from green to a faded greenish-yellow.

[0051] Once dried, the leaves are stored in ziplock bags at room temperature. To create the material, the treated leaves are carefully glued in a single layer to a paper backing, such as ordinary printer paper, ensuring no spaces between adjacent leaves and with the active side facing up. Both Elmer's glue and Mod Podge have been tested for this purpose, with Elmer's glue being preferred for its ease of use.

[0052] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An article for capturing arthropods comprising: a carrier substrate; and a plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof attached to the carrier substrate, the hydroxyl-treated leaves including a plurality of trichomes extending from a surface of the hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments are formed from untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are derived from Phaseolus vulgaris or other plant species with similarly shaped trichomes.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments are formed from untreated leaves or fragments thereof that are treated with an aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes water and a component selected from the group consisting of alcohols, diols, polyols, and combinations thereof.

6. The article of claim 5, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes water and a polyol.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein the polyol is a C2-6 polyol.

8. The article of claim 6, wherein the polyol is a diol or triol.

9. The article of claim 6, wherein the polyol is glycerol.

10. The article of claim 6, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water volume ratio from 1 :4 to 1 :1.

11. The article of claim 6, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water volume ratio of about 1 :2.

12. The article of claim 6, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution further includes ethanol or other alcohols.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the ethanol is present in an amount from about 2 to 15 volume percent.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate includes a first adhesive layer that adheres the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the carrier substrate further includes a second adhesive layer for mounting.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the carrier substrate further includes a removable sheet contacting the second adhesive layer.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate is composed of paper, cardboard, or fabric.

18. The article of claim 1 , wherein the arthropods are bed bugs.

19. A method for forming an article that captures arthropods comprising: providing untreated leaves or fragments thereof; treating the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof with an aqueous hydroxyl compoundcontaining solution to form a plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof, the hydroxyl-treated leaves including a plurality of trichomes extending from a surface of the hydroxyl- treated leaves and / or fragments thereof; and attaching the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof to a carrier substrate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are derived from Phaseolus vulgaris or other plant species with similarly shaped trichomes.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water volume ratio from 1 :4 to 1 :1.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution includes a hydroxyl compound-to-water volume ratio of about 1 :2.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the aqueous hydroxyl compound-containing solution further includes ethanol.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the ethanol is present in an amount from about 2 to 15 volume percent.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the carrier substrate includes a first adhesive layer that adheres the plurality of hydroxy 1-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the carrier substrate further includes a second adhesive layer for mounting.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the carrier substrate further includes a removable sheet contacting the second adhesive layer.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the carrier substrate is composed of paper, cardboard, or fabric.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof is attached to the carrier substrate by incorporating the plurality of hydroxyl-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof into a paper pulp slurry and then forming a paper sheet from the paper pulp slurry.

30. An article for capturing arthropods comprising: a carrier substrate; anda plurality of polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments thereof attached to the carrier substrate, the hydroxyl-treated leaves including a plurality of trichomes extending from a surface of the polyol- treated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the plurality of polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments are formed from untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof.

32. The article of claim 31, wherein the untreated leaves and / or fragments thereof are derived from Phaseolus vulgaris or other plant species with similarly shaped trichomes.

33. The article of claim 30, wherein the plurality of polyol-treated leaves and / or fragments are formed from untreated leaves or fragments thereof that are treated with an aqueous polyol- containing solution.

34. The article of claim 33, wherein the aqueous polyol-containing solution includes water and a polyol.

35. The article of claim 34, wherein the polyol is a C2-6 polyol.

36. The article of claim 34, wherein the polyol is a diol or triol.

37. The article of claim 34, wherein the polyol is glycerol.

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