Development and field evaluation of a motion sensor activated suction trap to study vector-host interactions

1. Researchers elucidating vectors of zoonotic diseases encounter problems with inefficient surveillance techniques leading to underestimation of the importance of some species, and the overestimation of the importance of others. Carbon dioxide-baited light traps are the most widely used traps for sampling vector groups. However aspirating directly from the hosts is the most accurate method to incriminate vectors. 2. A novel vector trapping system was developed, consisting of a suction trap, activated by a motion sensor, and controlled by a microcontroller, which activates automatically when host animals approach. The prototype was tested in two field experiments with ungulates and biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) at a preserve in Florida. We measured the biting midge community collected at traps near and far from hosts and compared communities using diversity metrics and abundance curves. 3. Traps activated in the presence of host animals with 94% accuracy. Diversity and ...