Operation of Mosquito Traps

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Operation of Mosquito Traps

BIO 7505

Operation of Mosquito Traps

A. Light Trap

1. Arrange with one of the designated people to have three CO2 cakes made. Place the CO2 cakes into the cooler. Then, in room 108 SCCE, collect all parts: trap assembly with light, motor, and fan; collection bag; cooler with CO2 cakes; and charged battery.

2. Walk to your site. When you reach your site, assemble the trap as follows:

  • Flip open the snout on the lid of the CO2 cooler.
  • Connect the CO2 cooler to the top of the trap assembly.
  • Attach the collection bag to the bottom of the trap assembly.
  • Use the handle on the CO2 cooler to hang the assembled trap over a tree branch at a height which will allow the battery leads to reach the ground.
  • Connect the two fan leads to the battery (red to red and black to black) and set the battery on the ground. The fan should begin running.

This picture shows an assembled trap without

the CO2 cooler attached to the top:

3. Leave your trap overnight.

4. Collect your trapped insects the next morning as follows:

  • Disconnect the battery. The fan should stop running.
  • Gently knock all insects into the bottom of the collection bag.
  • Using the strings on the collection bag, tie it completely closed.
  • Remove the collection bag from the trap assembly.
  • Remove the CO2 cooler from the tree branch and disconnect it from the trap assembly.
  • Collect all parts and return to the SCCE.
  • Place the collection bag in the freezer (-20A) in 109 SCCE.
  • Clean the trap assembly and CO2 cooler thoroughly and return all parts except the collection bag to 108 SCCE.
  • Follow the battery charging instructions to recharge the battery.
  • After freezing, remove trapped insects by inverting the collection bag.
  • Clean the collection bag, and put it back with its trap assembly in 108 SCCE.
  • Follow the instructions on the Self-Serve Trapping Sheet to identify and store your mosquitoes.

B. Gravid Trap

1. In room 108 SCCE, collect all parts: trap, white cap, black bucket, charged battery, fermented poop.

2. Prior to walking to a trapping site, make sure the trap is assesmbled as shown in the picture below. The thumbscrews shown to the right in the picture on the right loosen and tighten for assembly.

1719 illustration

3. Walk to your site. When you reach your site, place the black bucket on a well concealed, flat area of the ground, fill it with a one inch depth of fermented poop, and place the trap into the bucket. Make sure there is at least one inch clearance between the top of the fermented poop and the entrance to the collection chamber.

4. Connect the two fan leads to the battery (red to red and black to black) and set the battery to the side of the bucket. The fan should begin running.

5. Leave your trap overnight.

6. Collect your trapped insects the next morning as follows:

  • With the fan still running, loosen the bottom thumbscrew and remove the collection chamber and upper fan from the coupling attached to the base.
  • Place the white cap on the bottom of the collection chamber.
  • Disconnect the battery. The fan should stop running.
  • Loosen the upper thumbscrew and remove the fan housing and rainshield.
  • Collect all parts and return to the SCCE.
  • Place the collection chamber in the freezer (-20A) in 109 SCCE.
  • Clean the bucket thoroughly and return all parts except the collection chamber to 108 SCCE.
  • Follow the battery charging instructions to recharge the battery.
  • After freezing, loosen the middle thumbscrew of the collection chamber, remove the couple (with attached screen disk), and remove the mosquitoes by inverting the collection chamber.
  • Clean the collection chamger, reassemble the trap, and put it with its bucket in 108 SCCE.
  • Follow the instructions on the Self-Serve Trapping Sheet to identify and store your mosquitoes.
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