Expert Advice on How to Best Use Yellow Sticky Cards for Greenhouse Pest Detection

Posted by Brian Sparks|August 17, 2023

Sticky cards are an important tool for early detection of pests and an important component of an effective scouting program. Sticky cards will trap winged insect pests like thrips, whiteflies, fungus gnats, leafminers, leafhoppers, shore flies, and winged aphids.

It’s important to note that random plant inspections are still needed to scout for nonwinged pests or stages such as immature whitefly nymphs, thrips larvae, spider mites, broad mites, scale insects, wingless aphids, and mealybugs crawlers.

In a recent e-GRO alert, a team of researchers from the University of Connecticut provide some tips for using yellow sticky cards, including proper card placement and identification, to promptly detect pest outbreaks and enhance pest management in greenhouses.

As more growers are using biological controls, the use of sticky cards needs to be adjusted. Many biological control agents have a winged stage that can be caught on the cards. Make sure the sticky cards are not up the evening you are releasing winged biological control agents. Wait one or two days before putting the cards up again. Talk with your biological control supplier to get suggestions on best practices in tandem with the specific biological control agents you use.

For more tips, click here to read the original e-GRO alert. You can also check out an excellent training video here, and a photo gallery showing how sticky cards work here.