FAQ
Are Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) really non-toxic?
Yup. We don't recommend eating one because, YUCK! If your dog eats one, you should get to the vet to have her/him checked out - string is not good for dogs to eat.
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No spraying? No poison? No miticide or pesticide? How do Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) work?
We know Spider Mites pretty well. We spent a long time just watching them. We did our research to confirm our hypothesis. Time and again the clues were there in the research that others had done previously, but nobody seemed to pick up on them. The clues are in the animal's behavior; Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) are designed to take advantage of the Spider Mite's own behavior. Behavior which has been observed for thousands of years. It is likely that the behaviors which Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) take advantage of have been practiced by spider mites for hundreds of millions of years - making it unlikely that they will evolve a means of circumnavigating the traps any time soon.
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If I don't poison everything including the vegetables and the soil, laying waste to all within my domain, how am I going to be sure that all those Spider Mites are dead?
You're not. That's not how Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) work. We like to leave no footprint behind, so to speak. What will happen over time is that the overall local population will be devastated, and those eggs (that are laid on the traps) which would normally escape traditional eradication means such as pesticides/miticides, leaf and soil drenching, or introduced predator species will hatch on the traps and those protonymphs will remain mired there. This is a new approach to pest management; we don't mind mites, we think mites have a place on this planet along with baboons and barnacles, we just don't want spider mites on our plants. If a mite decides to take a walk in the park, no worries. If that same mite decides to take a walk on my pepper plant, set up house, have thousands of babies, and suck all the life outta my peppers - then we got a problem and there will be Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM).
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How long does it take to set up a single Red Band Spider Mite Trap(TM)? How long does it take to remove it?
Set up for one typical house plant with a single stalk of about 3'-4' in height shouldn't take more than about 2-3 minutes the first time. If one is setting up traps for more than 3-4 plants, each with a single stalk of about 3'-4' feet in height, after about 3 minutes of preparation, deploying traps will take less than 1 minute per trap. Trap removal should take less than 10 seconds per trap.
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After I dispose of the full trap, is there anything else I need to do to do to clean up the plant?
If the trap didn't show any more movement from the mites - you left the trap and for the past 5-6 days the front line of mites hasn't moved any closer to the red band - then you may be done! If you really want to close the deal, now might be the time to apply some neem oil. Keep your eyes peeled for any new mite signs.
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My growing space is an absolute MESS! Will Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) solve all my spider mite problems? Can I expect everything to be mite-free and suddenly pristine like the verdant Glades of Yore, thanks to Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM)?
In a word, nope. Spider mites like it dirty. Old leaf material. Garbage. Dirty old flower pots (clean them before reusing them!). If you are in a residence, you will need to vacuum carpets and wash floors and walls. Its a good idea to try to wear clean clothes when visiting the indoor garden. Clean your gardening tools and in general keep it clean!
Sorry. We don't do dishes either.
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My plants are 15' tall and about 20' feet in diameter, will one Red Band Spider Mite Trap(TM) solve the entire problem?
We want to hear from you, especially if you are a farmer! We can't say how many Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) you might need because not enough research has been done with large tree crops like yours. Let's work together and see if we can figure out the answer to your question together! Give us a call or email us.
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What should I do if the mites have already started forming their little web cities?
Now is the PERFECT time to deploy Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM). Hang the trap immediately above the infested areas of the plant, intertwine the hanging string pathway in amongst the leaves & branches of the infested area. That should do it. Go to bed, take a look in the morning - there should already be grey discoloration at the bottom of the sticky part of the trap. THAT'S A BUNCHA TRAPPED SPIDER MITES and they ain't going anywhere. Pretty gross, eh? No, don't touch the gross spider mites! Leave the trap there until it fills (replace immediately) or until you see no more movement towards the red band from the mites for at least 5-6 days. We just want all the stragglers to get the idea and move over to Trap-landia (a mythical place which is not as good as it sounds).
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I wasn't attentive enough and my plant came in contact with the sticky part of the trap. What now?
First and foremost, this trap should be disposed of and replaced, especially if there are mites on the trap. Carefully remove the trap from the plant, working from the string pathway at the bottom. up. Carefully separate any leaf(ves) from the trap that may have come in contact with the sticky part of the trap. Unfortunately, if the plants are delicate the affected parts may be lost; we use pretty sticky stuff for our traps.
A key to the success of Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) is that they provide only one way for spider mites to go: up. As long as the mites have not gone past the red band at the top of the trap they will never be able to leave the trap. Any time a leaf or a branch comes in contact with the sticky part of the trap it provides the mites with a means of escape and the infestation can continue.
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Will Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) work against my aphid/scale/leaf miner/tuber moth/etc. infestation?
Hard to say. Weirdly enough, this is really new technology and we haven't had much opportunity to test it on critters other than spider mites. We will say that IF the pest in question displays animal behavior which is similar to that of spider mites, namely that the pests seek the tops and budding end sites of host plants, then there is a possibility that Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM) might work. Try the traps out and let us know how it goes - we would like to hear from you!
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How did you come up with the idea? Is there a story behind Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM)?
Indeed, there are two stories in fact. A short story that shouldn't take much of your time, and a long story which covers much of the details about the concept and creation of Red Band Spider Mite Traps(TM). Both stories can be found here.
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Are you hiring currently?
Currently we are not hiring, however we expect that to change soon. If you live in the Portland, Oregon area then send us your resume. One factor to consider - we all start at the bottom and work our way up based on desire and competence. If you don't want to work with sticky, stinky stuff that gets all over the place, then this may not be your gig.
We are looking for franchisee manufacturers/wholesalers/shippers to license production and sales throughout eight to twelve regions in the United States. With few exceptions franchisees would be responsible for manufacture, sales and delivery in pre-defined multi-state regions, Please let us know if you are interested in joining a team that promises to lead the industry with innovation that is accessible to all people while building real world health and wealth for the communities which host our production centers and use our products.
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How's the weather in Portland right now?
We might be able to see blue skies right now, if it weren't for all the smoke from the forest fires.
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