In 1962 I published plans for making a Malaise trap for catching Hying insects (Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington 64: 253-262). Judging by demands for reprints of the article, this design has been used all over the world, though I suspect that most of those using the reprint diverged from the published design to some degree. There is no doubt that this trap catches insects very well, but it is difficult to make, and if made of the materials specified it weights 131, 2 pounds. The disadvantage of weight became apparent when I started shipping such traps by air mail to colleagues wanting to use it in foreign countries.

In the summer of 1965 I worked on a pattern that would be lighter in weight and easier to make. This design was tested against the design of 1962, and with progressive modifications became equally efficient at catching insects. Since 1965, about sixty traps of the new model have been made, and used in diverse collecting situations. This design also has been copied by entomologists who have seen examples of it, but the copies have sometimes neglected certain features that are important for an efficient trap.