UC Davis scientists have developed a new insect-trapping system that will help farmers track migration of the tomato stinkbug, aninsect that annually damages thousands of dollars worth of California's tomato crops. The researchers worked for nearly eight years on designing and developing the tomato stinkbug trap, which relies on "pheromones" or chemical sex attractants, says project leader Frank Zalom, director of the Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. The new trap, containing a sexual lure for male stinkbugs, is superior to earlier models because the bugs can't escape easily. By placing two or three pheromone traps in a field, farmers can monitor the pest's numbers with greater efficiency and implement better control measures that use fewer pesticides. Zalom says the new pheromone traps may be commercially available later this year.