How to take care of your scoutlabs mini traps

To keep your scoutlabs mini insect traps running smoothly and sending accurate data, follow these regular maintenance steps. A little upkeep goes a long way in keeping your traps in top shape.

1. How to place your trap and keep it clean

Choose a bright spot: Place your trap in a well-lit area, avoiding shadows or branches. Good lighting helps capture clear images of insects—exactly what you want!
Avoid placing the trap near operating machinery: Keep the trap away from operating machinery to prevent any damage. A quiet spot is best for uninterrupted insect monitoring.
Be careful about pesticide exposure: Pesticides can damage the electronics and mess with the solar panel’s function, so keep your trap out of pesticide-treated areas.
Keep the solar panels clean: Wipe down the solar panel with wet wipes when changing the sticky sheet. This ensures the panel stays efficient and your trap keeps running on sun power.
Windproof the trap: Secure the trap at two points for extra wind resistance. This reduces any twisting or swinging in the wind.

2. Sticky sheets have to be replaced from time to time

Size matters: The sticky sheet should not exceed 19x19 cm to fit properly in the trap’s base.
Fold them to remove them easily: Fold the sticky sheet in half before removing it—this prevents it from sticking to the inside of the trap and keeps things tidy.
Replace them regularly: Swap out the sticky sheet every 3-4 weeks, or whenever you see that the trap needs cleaning. You’ll see that in your scoutlabs app, no need for taking a long walk to check it. (And before the next season we’ll also enable push & email notifications so that you definitely won’t miss anything.)

3. Clean lenses = better pictures

No fingerprints on the camera, please: Avoid touching the camera lens unless absolutely necessary. A clean lens means clearer images and more reliable data.
Clean the lens if needed: If needed, clean the lens with isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth—this will keep the images sharp.

By following these steps, you’ll keep your scoutlabs Mini traps running smoothly, ensuring accurate insect data and hassle-free maintenance.