A whole-person sampler for assessing numbers of host-seeking adult mosquitoes

The whole-person bag sampler (WPBS) is a human-baited drop-net mosquito trap for evaluating an individual's exposure to nuisance mosquitoes. A diagram of WPBS construction is given, with results from field tests. Trap operator exposures of 2, 4, and 8 min did not result in a corresponding increase in mosquitoes caught in the WPBS, although simultaneous captures using a sweep net or Nasci aspirator increased with the sample duration. The person baiting and operating the trap did not have a significant effect on number of mosquitoes captured. Taxonomic diversity of adult mosquitoes collected with WPBS and CO2-baited traps was similar, with Aedes vexans predominant in the study areas.