THE EFFECTS Of INFUSION WATER TYPE AND FERMENTATION TIME ON MOSQUITO AND NON-TARGET ORGANISM COLLECTED IN THE CDC’S AUTOCIDAL GRAVID OVITRAP

Abstract

The Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO) is being marketed as an alternative mosquito control tactic to potentially harmful spraying. One problem is the high number of non-target organisms captured with AGOs that is not present in other gravid traps utilized by mosquito control districts. We tested three different infusion water types with a tap water control in AGOs to determine if they would reduce non-target capture rates. However, all three infusion water types captured more non-target organisms than the tap water control, and the infusion water did not have a significant effect on the number of Aedes aegypti or Ae. albopictus mosquitoes collected. Fermentation time (the date) had an effect on non-target organism capture rates in the AGO traps, but weather conditions may have confounded the fermentation effect. Despite capturing a low number of mosquitoes, this trap was attractive to pest species such as Lucilia sericata. Overall, this trap was ineffective at capturing high rates of Aedes mosquitoes, but it may function as a passive pest control trap with future design modifications.