clay models in grass
Researchers at the University of Georgia are studying how clay models of caterpillars can attract predator insects and arthropods in turfgrass and reveal their presence by the marks they leave behind. Their latest study fine-tunes the method by evaluating the colors, shapes, and sizes of the decoys that work best. Shown here are the clay models in varying colors examined in the study: black, blue, brown, green, red, white, and yellow. The results of the study show that the color of the models made little difference in the dark, whereas blue and green models were attacked more than those colored white or yellow during the day. (Image originally published in Khan and Joseph 2021, Journal of Insect Science)