WO2009092595A1

WO2009092595A1 - Slug trap

Info

Publication number: WO2009092595A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/000426
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johan Philip Trampe
Original assignee: Etradan Bs Aps
Priority date: 2008-01-25
Filing date: 2009-01-23
Publication date: 2009-07-30

Abstract

The present invention relates to a slug trap. The trap comprises a bottom part (11) with a substantially planar bottom surface, and an entry part (12) connected to the bottom part, where the entry part has an upper surface part (13) being raised at a distance from the bottom surface. The trap further comprises a top part (14) with first (15) and second (16) side surfaces, where the first side surface is at least partly extending above and at a distance to the upper surface part of the of the entry part, whereby an entry space is defined between the top part and the entry part. The second side surface is arranged in relation to the bottom part so as to form a closure part opposite to the entry space. It is preferred that the closure part contains no openings of a size, which will allow an adult slug to enter into the inner part of the trap.

Description

SLUG TRAP

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to traps for slugs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Slugs, such as snails that do not have a shell or only a very small shell, have become a common problem in garden areas, and several slug traps have been developed.

In Norwegian patent NO 324028 is disclosed a device for trapping slugs. The disclosed trap has a bottom part with two opposed entry side parts. A roof is provided above the entry parts, thereby forming entry openings between the roof and the entry parts through which the slugs can enter into the trap. Slug bait can be arranged in a container inside the trap, and the aroma of the food can be emitted through the entry openings to tempt snails to enter the trap.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an improved slug trap, which may provide an improved emission of the aroma of the slug bait, to thereby increase the efficiency of the trap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the following the term slug is meant to include snails that do not have a shell or only a very small shell.

According to the present invention there is provided a trap for trapping slugs, said trap comprising: a bottom part with a substantially planar bottom surface, an entry part connected to the bottom part, said entry part having an upper surface part being raised at a distance from the bottom surface, a top part with first and second side surfaces, said first side surface at least partly extending above and at a distance to the upper surface part of the of the entry part, whereby an entry space is defined between the top part and the entry part, and said second side surface being arranged in relation to the bottom part so as to form a closure part opposite to the entry space.

It is preferred that the closure part contains no openings of a size, which will allow an adult slug to enter into the inner part of the trap. Thus, it is preferred that the closure part has no openings being wider than 2, 3 or 4 mm. It is also preferred that the closure part is substantially closed or substantially without openings.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper surface part of the entry part is raised at a distance to the bottom surface. The distance should be chosen so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap, will not be able to pass out of the trap via said upper surface part of the entry part.

Preferably, a lower part of the entry part is connected to a first edge part of the bottom surface, and a lower part of the second side surface of the top part is connected to a second edge part of the bottom surface, said second edge part being opposite to the first edge part of the bottom surface.

According to an embodiment of the invention the entry part may hold a surface part being arranged at an acute angle to the bottom surface.

It is preferred that the top part forms a roof for the trap. It is also preferred that the trap is formed by folding a single sheet of material.

According to an embodiment of the invention first and second opposite end walls are connected to corresponding opposite end parts of the bottom surface. The end walls may be arranged at an acute angle to the bottom surface. A slot may be formed in each of the end walls for holding the entry part. It is within an embodiment of the invention that at least one arrow formed male part is formed in each of the end walls for interlocking with the top part. Corresponding female slots may be formed in the top part for receiving said arrow formed male parts of the end walls, said female slots being at least partly curved.

According to one or more embodiments of the invention, one or more ventilation holes may be formed in the entry part, where each of the ventilation holes has a size, which will not allow an adult slug to enter through one of said holes. It is preferred that one or more ventilation holes are formed in the end walls, where each of the ventilation holes having a size, which will not allow an adult slug to enter through one of said holes. It is preferred that the closure part contains no ventilation openings. It is preferred that there are no ventilation holes being wider than 2, 3 or 4 mm.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the upper surface part of the entry part ends in a side edge defining a trap entry of the entry space. However, it is also within an embodiment of the invention that the upper surface part of the entry part holds one more cut outs or holes being of a size allowing an adult slug to enter into the trap and thereby defining a trap entry of the entry space. Here, the entry part cut outs or holes may be arranged at a distance to the bottom surface. The distance should be selected so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap, will not be able to pass out of the trap via said upper surface part of the entry part. It is also within an embodiment of the invention that one or both of the end walls holds one or more cut outs or holes being of a size allowing an adult slug to enter into the trap, said end wall cut outs or holes being arranged at a distance to the bottom surface. The distance from the end wall cut outs to the bottom surface should be chosen so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap, will not be able to pass out of the trap via the end walls.

It is preferred that the bottom surface is substantially formed as a rectangle with two sides being first and second edge parts and two ends being first and second end parts, wherein the first and second edge parts are longer than the first and second end parts. However, it is also within an embodiment of the invention that the bottom surface is formed a square.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figs. 1a-c are perspective views of a slug trap according to an embodiment of the invention, where Fig. 1a shows the fully assembled trap, Fig. 1b shows the partly assembled trap, and Fig. 1c shows the un-assembled trap, and Figs. 2a-e illustrate wind turbulence within the assembled trap of Fig. 1a for different wind directions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 5

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the slug trap may be made of a single sheet of material, which after being cut may be assembled to form the trap. This is illustrated in Figs. 1a-b. The trap 10 may be made of a cellulose-based material, such as cardboard, and it may be coated with a material such as polyethylene, PE, preferably on

10 both sides to enhance the lifetime of the trap. The trap 10 has a bottom part with a bottom surface 11, which bottom surface 11 is formed as a rectangle with two opposing sides or edge parts and two opposing end parts, where the sides or edge parts are longer than the end parts. An entry part 12 is connected to a first side or edge part of the bottom surface 11. The entry part 12 has an upper surface part 13, which when the trap 10 is assembled,

15 is raised at a distance from the bottom surface 11.

The trap 10 further has a top part 14 with first 15 and second 16 side surfaces forming a roof of the trap 10, where the first side surface 15 is extending above and at a distance to the upper surface part 13 of the entry part 12, when the trap 10 is assembled, whereby an

20 entry space 17 is defined between the top part 14 and the entry part 12. The second side surface 16 of the top part 14 is connected to a second side or edge part of the bottom surface 11 , where the second side or edge part is opposite to the first side or edge part of the bottom surface 11 , to thereby form a closure part opposite to the entry part 12 when the trap 10 is assembled. For the trap 10 there are no openings in the closure part or

25 second side surface 16 which will allow an adult slug to enter into the inner part of the assembled trap 10. For the assembled trap 10, the entry part 12 is arranged at an acute angle to the bottom surface 11 , whereby the upper surface part 13 of the entry part 12 is raised at a distance to the bottom surface 11 so that an adult slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap 10, will not be able to pass out of the trap 10 again via the entry part

30 12.

The trap 10 also has first and second opposite end walls 18, 19, which are connected to corresponding opposite end parts of the bottom surface 11. For the assembled trap 10, the end walls 18, 19 are arranged at an acute angle to the bottom surface 11. In order to 35 assemble the trap 10, a slot 20, 21 is formed in each of the end walls 18, 19 for holding the entry part 12, and one or two arrow formed male parts 22, 23 are formed in each of the end walls 18, 19 for interlocking with the top part 14. Corresponding female slots 24, 25 are formed in the top part 14 for receiving the arrow formed male parts 22, 23 of me end walls 18, 19. It is preferred that the female slots 24, 25 are partly curved to thereby 5 lock the arrow formed male parts 22, 23.

During operation, slug bait or food, which may attract slugs, can be arranged in a tray or container 26 inside the trap 10, and the aroma of the food can be emitted through openings of the trap 10 to tempt slugs to enter the trap. Thus, a number of ventilation

10 holes 27a are formed in the entry part 12, where each of the ventilation holes 27a has a size, which will not allow a slug to enter through one of said holes. It is also preferred that a number of ventilation holes 27b, 27c are formed in the end walls 18, 19, where each of the ventilation holes 27b, 27c has a size, which will not allow a slug to enter through one of said holes. It is noted that there are no ventilation holes in the top part 14 of the trap 10

15 and therefore no openings in the closure part formed by the second side surface 16. In order to have the aroma of the food being spread as close to the ground as possible, the ventilation holes may be arranged rather close to the bottom surface 11 , but at a height which will prevent entrance of too much rainwater. It is preferred that the distance from an edge of the bottom surface to a ventilation hole is at least 1 cm. The tray or container 26

20 may be cut out in the same sheet of material as the trap 10, which is illustrated in Fig. 1c.

Different trap entries may be formed in a trap. For the trap 10 of Fig. 1 , the upper surface part 13 of the entry part 12 ends in a side edge 28 defining a trap entry of the entry space 17. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that the upper surface part 13 of

25 the entry part 12 holds one more cut outs or holes being of a size allowing an andult slug to enter into the trap 10 and thereby defining a trap entry of the entry space 17. These entry part cut outs or holes should be arranged at a distance to the bottom surface 11 so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap 10, will not be able to pass out of the trap 10. For the trap 10 of Fig. 1 , both of the end walls 18, 19 has a cut out or hole 29,

30 30 of a size allowing an adult slug to enter into the trap 10, where the end wall cut outs or holes are arranged at a distance to the bottom surface 11 so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap 10, will not be able to pass out of the trap via the end walls 18, 19. For a preferred embodiment of the trap 10 of Fig. 1 , the trap 10 is made of cardboard, which may be a cardboard material of 200-600 gram/m², such as 400 gram/m², and the cardboard is coated on both sides with polyethylene, PE. The measures are about as follows:

Lengt of first and second side edges of the bottom surface 11: 22 cm.

Width of first and second end edges of the bottom surface 11: 17,5 cm.

Width of the entry part 12: 5,3 cm.

Length of top part 14: 24 cm. Widt of top part 14: 22 cm.

Width of second side surface 16 of top part 14: 12 cm.

Width of first side surface 15 of top part 14: 10 cm.

Height of end walls 18, 19: 8,5 cm.

Distance from bottom surface 11 to slug entering hole of end wall: 4 cm. Width of slug entering hole of end wall: 5 cm.

Height of slug entering hole of end wall: 1 ,5 cm.

Angle between the entry part 12 and the bottom surface 11, when the trap 10 is assembled: about 45 °.

Angle between the end walls 18, 19 and the bottom surface 11, when the trap 10 is assembled: about 60 °.

Length of ventilation holes 27a,b,c: 2 cm.

Width of ventilation holes 27a, b,c: 2 mm.

Distance from edge of bottom surface 11 to ventilation holes 27a: 2 cm.

Distance from edge of bottom surface 11 to ventilation holes 27b,c: 1 ,3 cm.

As described above, when the trap 10 is in operation, a tray or container 26 with slug bait or food for attracting slugs may be arranged inside the trap 10, and a number of ventilation holes 27a,b,c may be formed in the trap 10. In order to have a good emission of the food aroma, it is preferred that the food container 26 is arranged closer to the closure side or part of the trap 10 than to the entry side or part of the trap 10. This is shown in Figs. 2a-e, which illustrates wind turbulence within the assembled trap 10 of Fig.

1 for different wind directions. In Figs. 2a-e the dotted sides of the trap 10 illustrates sides with ventilation holes or openings such as the holes 27a,b,c and the unbroken side 31 illustrates the closed side of the trap 10 with no ventilation holes or openings. In Fig. 2a the wind is blowing from the closed side 31 and enters through the end wall openings 27b,c to spread the food aroma out through the entry part openings 27a. In Fig. 2b the wind is blowing from the entry part side through the openings 27a to spread the food aroma out through the end wall part openings 27b,c. In Fig. 2c the wind is entering partly through the entry part openings 27a and the wall part openings 27b to spread the food aroma out through the wall part openings 27c. In Figs. 2d and 2e the wind is entering through the wall part openings 27b to spread the food aroma out through the opposite wall part openings 27c.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended that such changes come within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A trap for trapping slugs, said trap comprising: a bottom part with a substantially planar bottom surface, an entry part connected to the bottom part, said entry part having an upper surface part being raised at a distance from the bottom surface, a top part with first and second side surfaces, said first side surface at least partly extending above and at a distance to the upper surface part of the of the entry part, whereby an entry space is defined between the top part and the entry part, and said second side surface being arranged in relation to the bottom part so as to form a closure part opposite to the entry space.

2. A trap according to claim 1 , wherein the closure part contains no openings of a size, which will allow an adult slug to enter into the inner part of the trap.

3. A trap according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper surface part of the entry part is raised at a distance to the bottom surface so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap, will not be able to pass out of the trap via said upper surface part of the entry part.

4. A trap according to any one of the claims 1 -3, wherein a lower part of the entry part is connected to a first edge part of the bottom surface, and a lower part of the second side surface of the top part is connected to a second edge part of the bottom surface, said second edge part being opposite to the first edge part of the bottom surface.

5. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-4, wherein the entry part holds a surface part being arranged at an acute angle to the bottom surface.

6. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-5, wherein first and second opposite end walls are connected to corresponding opposite end parts of the bottom surface.

7. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-6, wherein the top part forms a roof for the trap.

8. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-7, wherein the trap is formed by folding a single sheet of material.

9. A trap according to any one of the claims 6-8, wherein a slot is formed in each of 5 the end walls for holding the entry part.

10. A trap according to any one of the claims 6-9, wherein at least one arrow formed male part is formed in each of the end walls for interlocking with the top part.

10 11. A trap according to claim 10, wherein female slots are formed in the top part for receiving said arrow formed male parts of the end walls, said female slots being at least partly curved.

12. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-11, wherein one or more ventilation 15 holes are formed in the entry part, each of said ventilation holes having a size, which will not allow an adult slug to enter through one of said holes.

13. A trap according to any one of the claims 6-12, wherein one or more ventilation holes are formed in the end walls, each of said ventilation holes having a size, which will

20 not allow an adult slug to enter through one of said holes.

14. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-13, wherein the upper surface part of the entry part ends in a side edge defining a trap entry of the entry space.

25 15. A trap according to any one of the claims 1 -13, wherein the upper surface part of the entry part holds one more cut outs or holes being of a size allowing an adult slug to enter into the trap and thereby defining a trap entry of the entry space, said entry part cut outs or holes being arranged at a distance to the bottom surface so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap, will not be able to pass out of the trap via said

30 upper surface part of the entry part.

16. A trap according to any one of the claims 6-15, wherein one or both of the end walls holds one or more cut outs or holes being of a size allowing an adult slug to enter into the trap, said end wall cut outs or holes being arranged at a distance to the bottom surface so that a slug, which have entered the inner part of the trap, will not be able to pass out of the trap via the end walls.

17. A trap according to any one of the claims 1-16, wherein the bottom surface is substantially formed as a rectangle with two sides being first and second edge parts and two ends being first and second end parts, wherein the first and second edge parts are longer than the first and second end parts.