Portable trench barrier for insect pests in agriculture

• US 5,926,999 A
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Her Majesty The Queen In Right of Canada As Represented By The Minister of National Defence
• Original Assignee: Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
• Inventors: Hunt, David William Albert, Vernon, Robert Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARK, DARREN W
• Application Number:
  US09/019,556
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 43/107, 43/112, 43/121, 43/124, 47/33, 47/9, 52/102, 404/7
• US Class Current: 43/121
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/105 Protective devices against slugs, snails, crawling insects or other climbing animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/28 Raised beds; Planting beds; Edging elements for beds, lawn or the like, e.g. tiles
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/103 for crawling insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/011 Crawling insects

Abstract

A portable trench barrier is capable of greatly reducing the number of beetles migrating into a cultivated area, such as a field of potato plants. The device comprises a series of linear barrier sections and connector pieces joined together to enclose and protect a cultivated area. Each linear barrier section comprises an extruded plastic section having (a) an elongated floor section, (b) a pair of continuous leg portions extending downwardly from the side edges of the floor portion. The leg portions are adapted to penetrate the soil and form a continuous sub-surface barrier. A pair of opposed upwardly inclined elongated ramp portions extending upwardly and inwardly from the side edges of the floor portion, these ramp portions terminating in downwardly curved free edge portions having smooth outer surfaces with the curved free edge portions of the opposed ramp portions forming therebetween a gap having a width of up to about 20 mm. The opposed ramp portions and gap are arranged such that beetles are able to climb the ramp and continue along the ramp until they reach a point on the curved free edge portion where they lose their footing and slide down into and are trapped in a chamber formed by the floor section and ramp portions.

Claims

1. A portable trench barrier for precluding beetle migration comprising in combination linear barrier sections and connector means for joining said linear sections, said linear sections and connector means being adapted to enclose and protect a cultivated area,

wherein each of said linear barrier sections comprises an extruded plastic section having (a) an elongated floor portion, (b) a pair of continuous leg portions extending downwardly from side edges of the floor portion, said leg portions being adapted to penetrate the soil and form a continuous sub-surface barrier, and (c) a pair of opposed upwardly inclined elongated ramp portions extending upwardly and inwardly from the side edges of the floor portion at an angle in the range of 40°

to 60°

relative to the floor portion, said ramp portions terminating in downwardly curved free edge portions having smooth outer surfaces with the curved free edge portions of the opposed ramp portions forming therebetween a gap having a width of about 8 to 20 mm and said ramp portions having footholds for the beetles in the form of a plurality of transverse ridges or grooves which continue up the ramp portions to said smooth outer surfaces of the downwardly curved free edge portions, said opposed ramp portions and gap being arranged such that beetles are able to climb the ramp portion and continue along the ramp portion until they reach a point on the curved free edge portion where they lose their footing on the smooth surface and slide down into and are trapped in a chamber formed by the floor portion and ramp portions, and wherein the connector means are adapted to slide fit within ends of the linear barrier sections, with at least some of said connector means, including an exit tube extending laterally therefrom between the ends of the linear barrier sections and providing an exit from the trench barrier, and closure means for closing an end of the exit tube.

2. The portable trench barrier according to claim 1 wherein each of said linear sections is formed as a continuous plastic extrusion.

3. The portable trench barrier according to claim 2 wherein the curved free edge portions are arcuate.

4. The portable trench barrier according to claim 3 wherein the curved free edge portions are semi-circular.

5. The portable trench barrier according to claim 2 wherein the exit tube includes small holes in the side wall thereof to permit escape of insects smaller than beetles.

6. The portable trench barrier according to claim 5 wherein the small holes have a diameter of about 5 mm.