Carpenter Bee Trap with Light-Guided Receptacle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carpenter bee traps are inefficient in capturing and containing carpenter bees, often requiring manual removal of trapped bees, lack effective containment methods, and are costly due to proprietary glue traps and complex electronic components.
Innovation Solution
A carpenter bee trap design featuring an upward-sloping entrance hole, a transparent receptacle that utilizes ambient light to guide bees into a removable container, and an insecticide gel made of pyrethroid in a non-drying thixotropic gel form for nest treatment, combined with sound and scent attractants to enhance trapping efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional glue traps are used in carpenter bee traps, then bees can be captured, but the trap capacity is limited and manual removal is required
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is divided into modular components: an entrance unit with upward-sloping holes and removable receptacles. This segmentation allows the receptacles to be easily detached and replaced without dismantling the entire trap structure, enabling efficient bulk removal of captured bees while maintaining high capture capacity
Solution Approach 2:
A funnel-shaped guide structure serves as an intermediary element that directs bees from the entrance holes into the receptacles. This intermediary component facilitates automatic bee conveyance into containment areas, reducing the need for manual intervention in bee removal
2Reliability
If proprietary glue traps are used, then bees can be trapped, but the cost is high and replacement is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The trap uses disposable receptacles made from inexpensive materials such as plastic bottles or containers. These receptacles can be easily replaced by the end user without requiring proprietary components, maintaining trapping effectiveness while significantly reducing cost and improving replacement convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacles are designed with universal compatibility features, allowing various container types (plastic bottles, jars, etc.) to be used as replacements. This universality enables users to repurpose common household items, eliminating dependence on proprietary components and reducing overall cost
3Productivity
If upward-sloping entrance holes are used, then bees are attracted and light entry is reduced, but trap complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upward slope is applied specifically to the entrance holes rather than the entire trap structure. This localized application of the sloped geometry maintains bee attraction effectiveness and light reduction benefits while minimizing overall structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty
4Productivity
If transparent receptacles are used, then bees are guided by ambient light, but containment effectiveness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is segmented with an opaque or dark interior coating that lines the containment space. This internal segmentation creates a light-blocking environment that prevents bees from seeing through the transparent walls, ensuring reliable containment while the transparent exterior continues to attract bees through ambient light
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacle exhibits different optical properties in different regions: the exterior walls remain transparent to attract bees, while the interior surface is treated with opaque or dark material to prevent bees from seeing escape routes. This local differentiation of optical qualities resolves the contradiction between attraction and containment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The trap effectively captures and contains hundreds of carpenter bees, allowing easy removal and replacement of receptacles, with the insecticide gel providing long-lasting control without harming beneficial insects and the attractants increasing trap effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The area surrounding the at least one receptacle adapter is sloped such that gravity aids in the conveyance of bees into the at least one receptacle
Implementation Method 2
The material of the at least one receptacle and optionally the area surrounding the at least one receptacle adapter has a degree of transparency such that ambient light is admitted in excess of other sources of light within the trap entrance unit plenum
Data Source
AI summary
A carpenter bee trap having at least one entrance hole, at least one plenum section connecting the at least one entrance hole to at least one receptacle adapter coupling, and least one removable receptacle attached to at least one receptacle adapter coupling, the at least one removable receptacle made of a material that admits ambient light to a greater extent than the material forming the plenum such that insects entering the trap follow a path of increasing intensity of ambient light that leads them to the receptacle. In one embodiment, existing carpenter bee nests are treated with a disclosed insecticide gel. The insecticide gel consists of a thixotropic, injectable, non-hardening, non-volatile gel blended with a pyrethroid insecticide, in effect converting the bee nest into a trap.