There is high demand for accurate insect sampling methods to inform integrated pest management strategies. Despite widespread application, existing sampling methods, such as portable aspirating and sweep netting, can result in overrepresentation of prominent pests, underrepresentation of natural enemies, and damage to plants. In this study, we test a novel device for insect sampling via anesthetization. Specifically, we test the effect of CO₂ (application pressure and duration of exposure) on Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) anesthetization in the laboratory and on insect community density in a strawberry agroecosystem. Carbon dioxide application proves an effective means of anesthetization compared to negative controls, and an increase in net CO₂ exposure results in a decrease in time until L. hesperus anesthetization. Field results indicate the CO₂ method collects more parasitoids and thrips than a portable aspirator, and at the 50 PSI application pressure and 15-s exposure, the CO₂ method results in a comparable number of pests collected as the research standard, a portable aspirator with 8-s aspiration time. Benefits of the CO₂ method include minimal plant damage, highly explicit spatial and temporal data, and scalability.