Yeast-generated CO2 as a convenient source of carbon dioxide for adult mosquito sampling

A new, convenient method was developed to supply CO2 for mosquito sampling by using yeast, which converts sugar into CO2 and ethyl alcohol. The system could, at average, generate 32.4 ml/min of CO2 for at least 27 h. The total weight of the CO2 generated was estimated to be 94 g. The efficacy of yeast-generated CO2 as attractant for mosquitoes was significant, and the following 6 mosquito species were collected using yeast-generated CO2 traps from July to September 2003 in a residential area of southern and northern Yokohama City, Japan: Aedes albopictus (Skuse), Armigeres subalbatus (Coquillett), Culex halifaxii Theobald, Cx. pipiens pallens Coquillett, Ochlerotatus japonicus (Theobald), and Tripteroides bambusa (Yamada). Besides mosquitoes, various other insects were collected in the trap. Species compositions of insects collected in yeast-generated CO2 traps and dry-ice-baited traps were compared.