The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to outline the materials and processes required to assemble, deploy and service an ovitrap.
Description: Ovitraps provide an attractive egg-laying habitat for gravid Aedes females that use containers for oviposition (egg-laying). Ovitraps were initially developed for detecting the presence of Aedes aegypti during the US Aedes aegypti Eradication Program which began in 1964 (Fay and Eliason 1965). This trap is a small, black, bucket or cup which holds waterwith organic infusion added. A wooden paddle acts as an ovistrip on which Aedes will lay eggs. This ovistrip is placed into the bucket for oviposition by Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus.
Target species and physiological states: Eggs of species that commonly oviposit in containers.
Entomological surveillance indicators: Ovitraps can be used to indicate the occurrence of Aedes vector species in an area, and eggs can be reared to adults and used as specimens for insecticide resistance bioassays.
Advantage: The benefits of using ovitraps are that they are c inexpensive and easy to use.
Disadvantage: Egg hatching and species identification requires laboratory space and trained staff. Additionally, ovitraps may not be useful as direct indicators of population sizes or disease risk due to confounding influences from competing larval habitats.
Sample period: Usually 5 – 7 days at a time; no longer or the ovitraps may become productive larval habitats to produce adult mosquitoes.
Data: The total number of traps with eggs, or the total number eggs per trap. When necessary, field data is merged with the results of subsequent laboratory analyses.