An Efficient Alternative to the CDC Gravid Trap for Southern House Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Surveillance

Abstract

West Nile virus (WNV) is the most prevalent arbovirus found throughout the United States. Surveillance of surface breeding Culex vectors involved in WNV transmission is primarily conducted using CDC Gravid traps. However, anecdotal claims from mosquito abatement districts in Louisiana assert that other trap types may be more suited to WNV surveillance. To test the validity of these assertions, we conducted a series of trapping trials and WNV surveillance over 3 yr to compare the efficacy of multiple trap types. First, we compared the CDC Gravid trap, CO2-baited New Standard Miniature Blacklight traps, and CO2-baited CDC light traps with either an incandescent light, a red light, or no light. We found that the CDC Gravid trap and CO2-baited no-light CDC Light trap collected the most mosquitoes. Second, we conducted additional, long-term trapping and WNV surveillance to compare these two trap types. We found that CO2-baited no-light CDC traps collected more of the local WNV vector, Culex quinquefasciatus (Say, Diptera, Culicidae), and detected WNV with greater sensitivity. Finally, we conducted trapping to compare the physiological states of Cx. quinquefasciatus and diversity of collected mosquitoes. CO2-baited no-light CDC light traps collected more unfed Cx. quinquefasciatus while Gravid traps collected more blooded Cx. quinquefasciatus; both traps collected the same number of gravid Cx. quinquefasciatus. Additionally, we found that CO2-baited no-light CDC light traps collected a larger diversity of mosquito species than Gravid traps.

Evaluation of ultra-low volume treatments on Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) abundance and relative age by parity dissection

“…Mosquitoes were collected from 6 distinct trap locations within the study area from May through October 2022 pre- and post-treatment. Traps were set following methodology of McNamara et al (2021) using CO 2 -baited CDC light traps with the light removed. Traps were baited with 1.4 kg of dry ice, set in the late afternoon, and retrieved the following morning.…”

Surveillance and Control of Culex quinquefasciatus Using Autocidal Gravid Ovitraps

“…Hock Ltd., Gainesville, FL), Biogent Sentinel (BG)-S traps with BG-lure or CO2 (Biogents, Regensburg, Germany), and CDC gravid traps (J.W. Hock Ltd.) (e.g., Muturi et al 2007, Medeiros et al 2017, McNamara et al 2021. Culex quinquefasciatus can also be collected using traps that do not use electricity (passive traps), such as ovitraps for the collection of egg rafts (Barbosa and Regis 2011) and sticky gravid traps for the collection of adult females like the CDC autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO traps; Mackay et al 2013, Obregón et al 2019, Acevedo et al 2021.…”