By John Lauritsen
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Minnesota (WCCO) — Some University of Minnesota students have come up with a creative solution for a pesky problem.
“Every year, these Japanese beetles would come and completely eat away at our plum trees,” said Aditya Prabhu. “My mom would drag me and my brother outside and pick them by hand.”
Prabhu knew there had to be a better way to deal with the invasive insects. And he found his solution in an entrepreneur class at the U. It challenged Prabhu and classmate Mohamed Hammadelniel to think outside the box. So, they created a trap that could stop the bugs dead in their tracks, while also being environmentally-friendly.
“The pheromone is fairly simple. It’s a little cone inside the trap,” said Prabhu.
That pheromone attracts Japanese beetles to the trap’s mesh, which is coated in a low-dose insecticide. It’s not a threat to humans, animals or pollinators, but it is to beetles.
“When beetles land on it, it takes them about 30 seconds to be killed by the insecticide,” said Prabhu.
During a test run at two Minnesota vineyards, hundreds of beetles filled the traps and they were nearly bursting at the seams. It’s been such a success that Prabhu, Hammadelniel and their friend James won the Minnesota Cup competition, and took home $25,000 to move the invention forward.
“I don’t think I expected it to be something that after a year, was still so meaningful to all three of us,” said Hammadelniel.
The goal now is to take their invention a step further. They’re hoping these plant traps become a common site in gardens across the state.
“It’s going to be absolutely cool to see this in stores,” said Prabhu.
“I hope we can reach as many people and as many beetles as possible,” said Hammadelniel. “That’s really the goal. If we can continue to inspire students to innovate in college, as well as solving a real problem, I’d feel really at peace.”
Prabhu says the official name is the Alure beetle trap, Alure LLC. Their next step is to do more research this summer and then get Environmental Protection Agency registration, which would give them the rights to manufacture, market and sell the trap.
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U of M students’ bug trap invention keeps Japanese beetles out of gardens News Channel 3-12.
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