Abstract: The BG-Counter is a remote surveillance tool that uses an infrared light sensor to quantify the total number of mosquitoes captured under field conditions. Every 15 minutes, the data are transmitted to a web-based interface, providing real-time insights into mosquito activity. Despite the BG-Counters’ adoption by a number of mosquito control districts, little information exists on their performance in areas such as Collier County, which has a uniquely diverse and abundant population of mosquitoes. This study investigated BG-Counter accuracy at seven Collier County locations representing different mosquito habitats. Traps were outfitted with a collection bag and run overnight, and captured mosquitoes were sexed, counted, and identified to species. Because the BG-Counter relies partly on body size to distinguish mosquitoes from other organisms, non-mosquito arthropods were also identified and counted to assess their impact on the traps’ accuracy. During the course of the study, over 30 of Collier County’s 51 known mosquito species were captured by the traps, suggesting that the BG-Counters successfully sampled a broad range of the mosquito population. Further, the number of captured mosquitoes generally agreed with the automated counter data, indicating that the BG-Counters are a reliable indicator of mosquito activity in Collier County.
