Using Sticky Traps and Sticky Tape For Insects

Using sticky tape and sticky traps is a very safe and effective way to deal with pest insects in your garden. 

When you use these products, you do away with the use of harmful chemicals. 

sticky tape with captured insectsPin
Insect pests caught with sticky bug tape | Akchamczuk – DepositPhotos

In this article, we discuss the use of these innovative products and share advice to help you choose just the right product for your situation. Read on to learn more.

What Is Insect Sticky Bug Tape?

Sticky bug tape is a yellow tape coated with a trapping compound intended to attract and secure any insect pest landing upon it. This including flying insects or crawling insects and pests.


Insects are attracted by the yellow color and sometimes by components of the sticky substance. 

When Should You Use Sticky Tape?

This product is very good for use in large areas. 

Pull off and stick or hang the amount you need. 

The purchase of this product is typically quite a bit more economical than buying individual traps.

How Long Does Sticky Insect Tape Last?

The amount of time sticky bug tape lasts is dependent in great part on the number of insects it captures. 

If you have a heavy infestation of any insect, the sticky surface will be quickly covered, and it will be time to change your tape.

The weather also affects the length of time the product will last. 

Even though sticky insect traps and tape is resistant to rain and heat and other inclement weather conditions, the product will weather and tear over time.

The best thing to do is to monitor your sticky strips closely and change it when it is full or begins to show signs of wear or loses its stickiness.

How Do You Set up Sticky Insect Pads Or Tape?

Sticky strip tape will stretch between wires, pipes, or poles. 



Stretch it from one to the other and wrap it around each one as you go. 

Alternately, secure it in place with twist ties, twine, or straps.

If you’re running the tape between rows of plants, you only need to run it between every second row. 

You should place the tape at two levels, one very near the ground and the other up higher to attract insects dwelling in the leaves.

If you have benches in your garden or greenhouse, you may want to stretch a section of sticky pest tape between the legs underneath the bench. 

Surprisingly, this is a popular hiding place for shoreflies and fungus gnats.

What Kind of Bugs Does A Sticky Pest Trap and Tape Control?

Sticky insect tape is especially good for combating very tiny plant pests, including: 

Some larger pests may also be caught, as may some beneficial insects, such as butterflies, bees, and predatory insects. 

Related: Will diatomaceous earth help effectively eliminate fungus gnats?

What Are Sticky Traps?

A sticky trap is a card coated with a trapping compound specially formulated to attract and secure insect pests. 

These cards are usually yellow because this color is very attractive to most insects. 

When a pest lands on the sticky traps, it is naturally stuck and cannot getaway. 

This is a good way of dealing with pests in a small area.

Sticky traps are often used to catch larger pests in and around the garden and in the home. 

In addition to the small garden pests readily caught by sticky bug tape, sticky traps can capture big bugs such as:

  • Cockroaches
  • Beetles
  • Crawling insects
  • Spiders
  • Even scorpions

Of course, beneficial insects and even small lizards and other beneficial fauna may be caught up in sticky traps. 

Even so, putting out sticky traps is a good way of determining exactly what sort of pests and what sort of beneficial insects you have in your garden.

Pest control agents often use sticky traps for this very purpose. 

If you put traps out and find you are accidentally capturing your natural garden helpers, stop using this method.

How to Make Sticky Traps & Using Vinegar to Stop Garden Pests:

Where Do You Put Sticky Traps?

Sticky traps are placed amongst your plants throughout the garden. 

They are also excellent for use with container plants and potted plants. 

Put individual traps in each container or pot or on a flat surface nearby.

How Do You Use Yellow Sticky Glue Tape and Sticky Traps?

Both products are very easy to use, and they have the advantage of doing their work passively and being disposable. 

All you need to do is set out the tape or trap in the area plagued with insect pests.

Unlike sprays and powdered products, it’s OK to set out traps and tape even when rain is expected. 

These products resist damage from rain and also from excessive sunlight.

Once you put your traps or tape in place, you need to check them frequently. 

When the sticky substance on the surface is completely covered with insect pests, it’s time to replace your sticky trap or sticky tape.