GB2339523A

GB2339523A - A trap for protecting plants from animals or insects

Info

Publication number: GB2339523A
Application number: GB9815141A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gilbert Edward Nightingall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-14
Filing date: 1998-07-14
Publication date: 2000-02-02
Also published as: GB9815141D0

Description

2339523 A TRAP The present invention relates to a trap. More partcularly,

the present invention relates to a trap used to trap plant-eating animals, for example, slugs.

It is well known that plant-eating animals, for example, slugs and other members of the gastropod mollusc family, can cause a lot of damage to plants.

With a view to preventing such plant-eating animals from causing any damage to such plants, it is known to spray the plants with various chemicals that poison and/or repel such plant-eating animals from said plants. The problem associated with such chemicals is that they car, be harmful to humans, and/or other animals for which the chemicals are not intended, that may inadvertently come into contact with said chemicals.

With the particular application of killing slugs, it is known to place poison-filled containers at various locations around a garden. On failing into such poison-filled containers, such slugs are killed. Once again, the problem associated with such containers is that the poison contained therein, may be harmful to humans, and/or other animals for which the r)oisons are not intended, which may inadvertently come into contact with such poison. Additionally, and in order to efficiently protect a particular plant by utilising a container of this type, one would need to totally surround the plant or plant pot, within which the plant may be located, with such containers. This is not only unsightly, but also, expensive.

2 According to the present invention there is provided an animal trap which, in use, surrounds or substantially surrounds a plant holder or plant, the trap being provided with a channel which can be filled with a fluid and which surrounds or substantially surrounds the plant holder or plant.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an animal trap believed to address the problems outlined above. In particular, the trap of the present invention is adapted to surround a plant holder or plant and is more efficient and less unsightly than the known traps outlined above. Additionally, the present invention forgoes the need to use any chemicals, poisonous or otherwise, which may be harmful to humans and/or other animals for which the chemicals are not intended, which may inadvertently come into contact with such chemicals.

In a preferred embodiment, the trap of the present invention comprises two halves, each half being releasably connectable to the other half in a watertight manner. This has the advantage in that in order to locate the trap around a plant holder or plant, it is not necessary to lift the plant holder, which may be large and/or heavy. Additionally, this forgoes the need for having to place the trap over the top of the plant, which may be large, before being able to locate the trap around the plant holder or plant. Further preferably, the trap of the present invention comprises a ring member upon which is provided a channel which can be filled with a fluid, said ring member being formed from two halves which are releasably connectable to one another.

One, non-limiting, embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

3 Figure 1 is a cross section view of a trap in accordance with the present invention shown surrounding a plant holder; Figure 2 is a plan view of the trap and Plant holder of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a front perspective view from one side of the trap and plant holder of Figure 1 As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a trap 10 in accordance with the present invention is ring-shaped and comprises a base 11 upon which is mounted an inner wall 12 and an outer wall 13. Such inner wall 12 and the outer wall 13 provide a channel 14, which can be filled with water.

As illustrated, in use, the trap 10 is shaped such that it may surround a plant holder 16 with a plant 17 located therein. Once filled with water, the trap 10 acts as a water trap to slugs. That is, a slug, which is unable to fly, needs to pass over the trap 10 to reach the plant 17 located in the plant holder 16. On doing so, the slug will fall into the water filled channel 14 and will drown.

In a preferred unillustrated embodiment, the trap 10 is made up of two halves, each half being releasably connectable to the other in a known watertight manner. This has the advantage in that if the plant holder 16 is heavy and/or large, the two halves of the trap 10 can be placed around the plant holder 16 before being connected to one another. That is, this forgoes the need of having to lift the plant holder 16 in order to locate the trap 10 in an appropriate manner. Additionally, this also forgoes the need of having to force the trap 10 over a plant 17, which may be large, in order to locate the trap 10 such that it surrounds the plant 17.

4 Although the present invention has been described by way of example to trapping and killing slugs, it is to be understood that same can be used to trap any plant-eating animal, especially those which are incapable of flying. Additionally, it is to be understood that the trap of the present invention can also be sized such that it surrounds a plant only. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the channel provided by the trap of the present invention may be filled with poisonous or repellent chemicals.

Furthermore, the skilled person will realise that when filled with water, the trap of the present invention can be connected to the plant such that the trap can act as a water reservoir from which the plant can draw water. Moreover, the trap of the present invention when filled with water and surrounding a plant, will increase the water vapour content of the air surrounding the plant, which the skilled person will appreciate is beneficial to plant growth.

Claims

1. An animal trap which, in use, surrounds or substantially surrounds a plant holder or plant, the trap being provided with a channel which can be filled with fluid and which surrounds or substantially surrounds the plant holder or plant.

2. An animal trap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trap comprises two halves, each half being releasably connectable to the other half in a fluid tight manner.

3. An animal trap as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the trap is ring shaped.

4. A slug trap which, in use, surrounds or substantially surrounds a plant holder or plant, the trap being provided with a channel which can be filled with fluid and which surrounds or substantially surrounds the plant holder or plant.

5. An animal or slug trap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.