WASHINGTON (AP) – A smart trap for mosquitoes is promising to catch the bloodsuckers while letting friendlier insects escape – and even record the exact weather conditions when different species emerge to bite.
Whether it really could improve public health is still to be determined. But researchers say during pilot-testing around Houston last summer, the robotic traps accurately captured particular mosquito species – those capable of spreading the Zika virus and certain other diseases.
Rather than the old-fashioned net approach, the new trap consists of 64 compartments outfitted with an infrared light beam that allows recognition of certain species. When the right bug flies in, a door shuts to capture it.
The research was presented at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.