Optimized Off-the-shelf Portable Trap for Haematophagous Arthropods

There is a definite need for the development of an efficient portable device that can reliably be used to survey a broad range of disease carrying mosquito populations in the military field to assess health risk prior to service members' deployment in theregion. Limited to requiring CO2 supplies from dry ice, CO2 gas cylinder, and propane gas, commercially available light traps can not be properly operated in regions where these supplies do not exist. Supply can be transported to the mission field at theexpense of cost, time, and extra risk exposure to service member through handling these material (propane gas cylinders has a potential to explode when handled inappropriately). Lynntech's innovative CO2 generation technology overcomes these limitationsby incorporating a miniature liquid fuel (JP-8, diesel, kerosene, etc.) CO2 generator to the existing miniature light trap. The add on module is compacted into smaller than a gallon jar package, including all control peripherals, attractant deliverydevices, system monitoring equipment, and batteries, at the price of less than $400. In addition, this innovative technology can be applied to larger traps and any type of CO2 baited traps coupled with other chemical attractants. CO2 generator allows theuse of CO2 baited trap in more remote regions, making them an attractive option for low cost trap add on module for disease carrying mosquito detection or population management in military operations, as well as civilian applications.