Urbanization and the efficiency of carbon dioxide and gravid traps for sampling Culex quinquefasciatus

The efficiency of gravid and CO2 traps for sampling female Culex quinquefasciatus was evaluated along 2 parallel 6.4 km long urban (high housing density) to rural (low housing density) transects in east Bakersfield, Kern County, CA. There were no significant differences in the number of female Cx. quinquefasciatus collected by gravid traps within urban and rural zones. The number of females collected per trap night ranged from 6.8 to 15.5. The number of females collected by CO2 traps increased significantly from 1.4 to 3.1 per trap night in urban to 31.8 to 111.2 per trap night in rural zones and was inversely correlated with housing density. These results indicate that female Cx. quinquefasciatus were effectively sampled by gravid traps in urban subdivisions and by CO2 traps in rural mixed agricultural areas.