Mosquito Traps

We work in close collaboration with Dr. Rosmarie Kelly, Ph.D. MPH: Public Health Entomologist with the Georgia Division of Public Health Epidemiology Branch. Dr. Kelly keeps me well informed of any mosquito vector-borne disease in our area or neighboring states. Then we set out two types of mosquito traps to monitor mosquitoes in our area and they are tested for mosquito-borne disease.

Gravid Trap

This trap selectively attracts container-breeding mosquitoes that lay eggs in stagnant organically rich water. These mosquitoes will have had at least one blood meal, so may possibly have picked up an infected blood meal if there are West Nile Virus positive (WNV+) birds in the area.

Gravid Trap

Light Trap

Light traps attract mosquitoes looking for a blood meal. The attractants used are light and carbon dioxide (CO2), in the form of dry ice or as compressed gas in canisters. These traps are useful for providing information about the mosquito species found in the area under surveillance. Because they attract mosquitoes looking for a blood meal that may have just emerged and never had a blood meal previously, the likelihood of finding a virus in these mosquitoes is much reduced.

Light Trap