Mosquito Traps

CDC Miniature Light Traps

These traps are commonly suspended from tree limbs that hang above the ground and are powered by a battery. Traps attract mosquitoes by a light bulb and CO2 that is emitted from the dry ice in a cooler. When the mosquitoes get close to the light they are pulled into the container by a small electric fan where they are captured and collected for analysis.

If you find one in the field
PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB IT

Gravid Trap Box

This trap looks like a tool box sitting on top of a tray. The tray contains a mixture of fermented grass and straw which has a powerful smell (disagreeable to people) but attractive to mosquitoes. The tool box contains a collecting pod, and a small fan that is powered by four "D" cell batteries (see picture below). When the mosquitoes are attracted to the water to lay eggs, they pass by the trap opening and are pulled into the collection pod. The mosquitoes are removed in the laboratory for examination and analysis.

If you find one in the field
PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB IT

Ovitrap

The ovitrap is a small water-containing vessel that looks like a stadium cup with a surface inside it (such as a tongue depressor) for mosquitoes to lay their eggs on. The surface containing the eggs are collected and counted to determine the density of the reproductive mosquito population. These ovitraps will provide initial and ongoing data on mosquito populations.

If you find one in the field
PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB IT

Faye - Prince Trap

The Faye Prince trap is a daytime trap that is used to collect the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopicuts. These traps are suspended from low branches and trees and work much like a CDC miniature light trap except it uses contrasting black and white surfaces to attract mosquitoes rather than a light bulb.

If you find one in the field
PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB IT