AN ASSESSMENT OF A LETHAL OVIPOSITION TRAP’S ABILITY TO PRODUCE IMMATURES OF AEDES ALBOPICTUS IN PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA

Abstract

A series of tests were performed in the laboratory and in the field, 2014-2017, assessing the efficacy of the Trap ‘N’ Kill (TNK) (Springstar® Inc., Woodinville, WA) lethal ovitrap on Aedes albopictus adults and immatures. The TNK lethal ovitrap design is to attract and kill adult female mosquitoes as well as any larvae that emerge over a claimed 45-day period by utilizing the active ingredient dichlorvos. Cage trials demonstrate that the trap effectively killed wild-caught, adult mosquitoes (> 80% mortality) for up to 4 weeks (28 days). After 4 weeks, the ability of the trap to control adult mosquitoes declined reaching only 18.8 % mortality by week 7. A field trial demonstrated a similar 4-week maximum effective duration of the TNK trap when immature mosquitoes had emerged from eggs and were present in all traps after 4 weeks (6 weeks, 15.2 ± 2.56 % larvae per trap were observed). A field trial was also conducted to assess the ability of the TNK trap to reduce adult mosquito populations over a ~5-acre area in a residential neighborhood. No reduction in adult mosquito population could be detected with the trap density (5 traps/acre) and experimental conditions utilized in this trial.