ARS | Publication request: EFFECT OF CHEMICAL LURES AND TRAP PLACMENT ON SAND FLY AND MOSQUITO COLLECTIONS WITH MMX TRAPS IN BAHRIF VILLAGE, ASWAN, EGYPT.

Submitted to: International Conference on Urban Pests
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: April 3, 2008
Publication Date: July 3, 2008
Citation: Bernier, U.R., Hoel, D.F., Hogsette Jr., J. A., Hanafi, H.A., Kline, D.L. 2008. Effects of lures and trap placements on sand fly and mosquito traps. Proceedings of the International Congress of Urban Pests, Budapest, Hungary, p.171-175.

Technical Abstract: Phlebotomine sand flies, especially Phlebotomus papatasi, in the Middle East are responsible for transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis to humans. Accurate surveillance of these disease vectors is therefore essential to evaluate local populations of these pests for calculating disease risk in a local area and in the assessment of control measures. We explored addition of chemical lures to and physical placement of American Biophysics Mosquito Magnet-X (MMX) traps in Bahrif, Aswan, Egypt. The village was selected as a site for field experimentation because sand fly population history in the area is known, the predominant sand fly species in this area (> 90%) is Phlebotomus papatasi, and the incidence of Leishmaniasis in the local sand fly population is practically negligible. Trapping experiments were conducted using a Latin square design with four treatments rotated over four nights of trapping. This four night set was repeated twice more over the course of approximately at 60 day period to provide 3 sets of data for each set of four treatments. Preliminary results indicate that lures comprised of a chemical or blend plus carbon dioxide did not enhance significantly the collection of sand flies over that observed from using carbon dioxide only. It was clear that the use of any chemical lure, including carbon dioxide provided a catch significantly greater than an unbaited MMX trap. Trap placement experiments have been initiated to compare trapped flies with the MMX outlet at 0.5 m above ground to the outlet at ground level, in a constructed artificial hole.