Biologist Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District Visalia, California, United States
Abstract: Adult mosquito surveillance plays an essential role in allowing mosquito control programs to target control efforts by monitoring populations and arbovirus activity. Carbon dioxide (CO2), an olfactory cue for host seeking mosquitoes, in the form of dry ice, compressed gas, and yeast fermentation is widely used as an attractant for BG-Sentinel traps. Dry ice and compressed gas are challenging to use in mosquito surveillance programs because of their high cost to implement on a large-scale, difficulty to obtain during supply shortages, and safety concerns when used in public areas. As the demand for an alternative CO2 source increases, commercially available yeast fermentation solutions are now being marketed. Since 2018, Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District (DMVCD) has used an in-house yeast fermentation solution as the CO2 source for BG-Sentinel traps from locally acquired ingredients as a safe and affordable alternative. This study investigated adult mosquito capture efficacy of DMVCD’s yeast fermentation solution to a commercial solution. The BG-Sentinel traps were set daily for three weeks at five suburban locations. Each trap set contained a BG-Lure, Elitech RC-51H temperature and humidity data logger, and rotated between: DMVCD yeast solution with non-insulated container; DMVCD yeast solution with insulated BG-Pro Bag; BG-CO2 Powder with non-insulated container; BG-CO2 Powder with insulated BG-Pro Bag; or no CO2 source. Daily mosquito population abundance was compared between the combination of different yeast fermentation solutions and containers. As DMVCD’s Surveillance Program continues to grow, collection methods must be closely examined as the District sets over 150 BG-Sentinel traps a week in 2022. By improving the yeast fermentation process, DMVCD can implement more effective control methods based on collection data from a proven CO2 source.
