Animal Cells and Systems

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A research for an eco-friendly mosquito control

by using a new mosquito trap (Mos-hole trap) in a
cowshed in Yeoju of Korea

Hoonbok Yi, Bijaya R. Devkota, Jae-Seung Yu & Hyun-Jung Kim

To cite this article: Hoonbok Yi, Bijaya R. Devkota, Jae-Seung Yu & Hyun-Jung Kim
(2014) A research for an eco-friendly mosquito control by using a new mosquito trap (Mos-
hole trap) in a cowshed in Yeoju of Korea, Animal Cells and Systems, 18:4, 282-290, DOI:
10.1080/19768354.2014.938697

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/19768354.2014.938697

© 2014 Korean Society for Integrative

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 Animal Cells and Systems, 2014
Vol. 18, No. 4, 282–290, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19768354.2014.938697

A research for an eco-friendly mosquito control by using a new mosquito trap (Mos-hole trap) in
a cowshed in Yeoju of Korea
Hoonbok Yia*, Bijaya R. Devkotaa, Jae-Seung Yub and Hyun-Jung Kima
a
Department of Bio & Environmental Technology, Seoul Women’s University, Seoul 139-774, South Korea; bE-TND, Environmental
Technology & Development, Kwangju City, Kyunggi-do 464-100, South Korea
(Received 17 April 2014; received in revised form 12 June 2014; accepted 12 June 2014)

We performed this study to find out if we could control mosquitoes in a cowshed by using CO2-baited mosquito traps. We
used eco-friendly Mos-hole traps that were developed for mosquito control in human living areas and we also evaluated the
traps’ efficacy, if the traps would be effective in controlling mosquitoes in a cowshed. The study was performed for 54 days
(from 18 May to 10 July 2012). During the first nine turns (from 18 May to 18 June), we used 12 mosquito traps, which
were baited with low CO2 emission (35–100 ml/minute) by burning and combusting liquid naphtha. In the next phase (10
to 13 turns; 21 June to 4 July), we kept the same low CO2 emission in six traps but increased the CO2 concentration (500
ml/minute) in the other six traps. In the 14th turn (July 10), all 12 mosquito traps were used with higher CO2 concentration,
using compressed cylinders of CO2. Mosquitoes were collected at each turn and the total trapped female mosquitoes during
the study period were 31,715 individuals, and we identified 6 genera and 16 species. The predominant species was Aedes
vexans nipponii (63.838%). We found that 5.2 times more mosquitoes were caught at higher emission rates of CO2. Finally,
our study partly revealed that higher emission of CO2 might be a reliable substitute for proper control of the adult female
mosquitoes and we absolutely need to develop a more efficient mosquito trap for cowshed areas.
Keywords: cowshed; CO2 emission; female mosquito control; Mos-hole trap

Introduction Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, India and South Korea.

During the last 10 decades, the earth’s average temperat-
ure has risen by about 0.7°C (Revich et al. 2012). Most of
the natural scientists in the world believe that global
warming is caused by anthropogenic activities which
resulted in the increased concentrations of greenhouse
gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and
ozone (Karl & Trenberth 2003). This increased green-
house gas concentrations have warmed up the earth’s
water and atmosphere temperature. Such increases of
water and air temperature also affect insects’ life cycles.
For example, the increased water temperature would
enhance the growth of mosquito larvae and the female
mosquitoes are able to produce more offspring. The
female mosquitoes would be able to digest blood meal
quickly because of increased air temperature and so they
suck blood more frequently. From those results it is
evident that the mosquitoes would be faster disease
POPULATION
ECOLOGY &
Mosquitoes have been the nuisance pests, remaining close
to human living areas and affecting human life for a long
time (Tellez-Rebollar 2005; Hubalek 2007). More than
3 billion people in 107 countries live under the threat of
malaria transmission. Because of mosquitoes, 300–500
million people get infected with Malaria annually, and
every year over 1 million people die of malaria. Unfortu-
nately, most of the affected people are children (MRB
2005). Except wars and natural disasters, malaria is the
cause of 50% of the mortalities since prehistoric times
(Kevin 2005).
It is well known that mosquitoes suck blood from
different animal hosts and transmit mosquito-borne dis-
eases like encephalitis, malaria, elephantiasis (filaria),
yellow fever, dengue fever and JE to humans (Reiter
2001). A virus of Bunyaviridae family and Phlebo genus
transmitted by mosquitoes causes a common disease to
human and livestock in the worldwide (Hunter 1994; Obi

vectors in geographic range levels (Githeko et al. 2000;

BIOLOGY

2004; Yakubu & Singh 2008).

Reiter 2001).
The World Health Organization (2003) reported that
30 new diseases have recently emerged in the world
(Epstein et al. 1998). Mosquitoes have vectored world-
wide resurgence and redistribution of diseases such as
malaria and dengue fever (Epstein et al. 1998; Gubler &
Kuno 1998). Especially, Japanese encephalitis (JE) has
had a higher incidence in several countries including
The small red house mosquito (Culex tritaenior-
hynchus Giles) sucks blood from livestock carrying JE,
causing virus pathogens, and transmits JE into humans’
blood during sucking blood from a human (Yi & John
1983). In South Korea, malaria, JE and elephantiasis
diseases were found because of the mosquitoes that carry
those disease pathogens (Reiter 2001). Most of the
diseases caused by mosquitoes are zoonotic in nature

*Corresponding author. Email: yih@swu.ac.kr

© 2014 Korean Society for Integrative Biology


and are transmitted from humans to animals or from
animals to human beings.
Livestock have always suffered by bites of various
arthropod parasites, which may directly affect their body
weight loss, milk production, quality of meat and quality
of leather and wool; they also cause abortion and death of
livestock (Steelman 1976). Livestock farmers are affected
by livestock abortion and young animals’ stillbirth and
malformation, which are caused by the transmission of
mosquito-borne diseases, such as bovine ephemeral fever,
Akabane disease, tuberculosis, acute fever, respiratory
problem and digestive disorders. To reduce the incidence
of JE transmission from animals to human beings, we
should prioritise controlling the mosquitoes (Yi & John
1983). Therefore, our major focus is to develop appropri-
ate control methods to minimize those problems.
More than 3500 species of mosquito have been
identified in the world (Reiter 2001). Many female
mosquitoes need to suck blood from other animals to
develop and lay viable eggs (Richard et al. 2000; Reiter
2001). If there are more livestock, mosquitoes are found in
abundance. Such abundance increases the chances of
transmitting pathogens to animals and to men (McClelland
1980; Yakubu & Singh 2008).
Generally, it is well known that mosquitoes are easily
attracted towards higher concentration of CO2, which is
the product of animals’ respiration (Rudolfs 1922; Reiter
2001; Silver 2008). The CO2 concentration is a good cue
to find out animal hosts by the female mosquitoes
(Quarles 2003). It has been reported that a human or the
same-sized animal emits 250 ml CO2 in one minute
(Reeves 1953; Laporta & Sallum 2011). A western
African mosquito species can detect CO2 from a 15–30
m distance, but this ability to detect CO2 depends on
mosquito species (Gillies & Wilkes 1969; Silver 2008).
Headlee (1934) and Silver (2008) reported that they were
able to trap 400–500% more mosquitoes using a New
Jersey light trap with a provision of CO2 in evenings
within two hours.
Mosquito-borne diseases can be controlled by elimin-
ating mosquitoes, keeping the yard clean and healthy,
avoiding the places of growing mosquito larvae around
the cowshed and proper management of manure in
cowshed (Lawler & Lanzaro 2005). Although an alternat-
ive way to control mosquitoes is the use of pesticides, this
method can contaminate the environment and also affect
livestock and human health. Frequent and haphazard use
of pesticides for the eradication of mosquitoes do not kill
all the mosquitoes but it may have a big impact in
ecosystems through the eradication of other non-targeted
species and destroys the food chain structure of the
ecosystem (Federighi 2008). Insecticidal resistance of
mosquitoes is becoming 12 times stronger and their
resistance has more developed during the past 20 years
(Kevin 2005). Because of the overutilization of pesticides,
Animal Cells and Systems 283
the environment has become more polluted and the natural
enemies of mosquitoes have decreased (Lee & Yu 1999).
Therefore, the use of eco-friendly mosquito traps must be
the best practical way for controlling mosquitoes in a
cowshed. This study also attempts to test mosquito control
efficiency of Mos-hole trap to find if this new mosquito
control method is more eco-friendly, without the use of
chemicals in a cowshed area.
The purposes of this study were to (1) control
mosquitoes in a cowshed by using a new mosquito trap,
called Mos-hole trap, which was developed for mosquito
control in human living areas, (2) test out the efficiency of
the new method to control mosquitoes in a cowshed and
(3) study the attraction of mosquito towards Mos-hole
traps at different levels of CO2emission. We hypothesized
that the higher CO2 would attract more mosquitoes and
this new method could be the best possible way to control
mosquitoes in a cowshed.
Materials and methods
The study site
The cowshed site (called Daengal, 37° 17′ 30″ N, 127°
38′ 28″ E) is located in Buknae-myeon Oeryong-ri, Yeoju-
gun in Gyeonggi-do of South Korea. The study site is
covered by forests in almost all sides. The average annual
temperature is 12°C and the average temperature from
May to August is between 17°C and 26°C.
Materials and sampling
A preliminary survey was done on 18 May to facilitate the
whole study and to find out the outside circumstances of a
cowshed. Twelve Mos-hole traps (350 mm diameter and
400 mm height; E-TND Co., Hanam, Gyeinggi-do of
South Korea) were set up around the cowshed (Figure 1).
The Mos-hole trap contained stainless steel frame and was
coated by fabric clothing outside. It also had rain block
cover at the top of the trap. Mosquito suction barrel was at
the central top part of frame. A mosquito catch bag was
assembled at the lower part of the suction barrel to keep
the mosquitoes trapped. The lower end of the inside case
was fitted with a suction fan and connected with electric
power (220 V) for creating suction pressure to suck
mosquitoes and to release mosquito attractant outside.
Liquid naphtha bottles (1000 ml bottle in each trap) were
used inside the traps to release low proportion of CO2.
The compressed CO2 cylinder was kept outside for
releasing high proportion of CO2. Both the source of
CO2 release technique and the liquid naphtha system to
create CO2, H2O, humidity and heat were used to attract
mosquitoes. The traps were kept at ground level and
installed approximately at 5m distance from the wire
screen of the cowshed. This study was carried out from
18 May to 10 July 2012 (54 days) and we used two
different CO2 emission concentrations (35–100 ml/minute
284 H. Yi et al.

Figure 1. Experimental design about the mosquito study shows that 12 mosquito traps were installed around the cowshed. Each number
in circle shows 12 Mos-hole traps around the cowshed. The distance of each trap was approximately 15 m and the distance from cattle
shed wire border was about 5 m. Other environments around new cowshed were old, abandoned cowshed, used tires, small stream and
water reservoir.

and 500 ml/minute) to know the optimum CO2 concen-
tration at the cowshed.
The study was conducted by applying three different
treatments (details in Figure 2). In the first treatment, all
12 mosquito traps were baited with 35–100 ml/minute
emission (low proportion) of CO2 from first turn to ninth
turn (18 May to 18 June) by burning and combusting
liquid naphtha (1000 ml bottles) kept inside at the bottom
of the Mos-hole trap (Figure 2A). In the second treatment,
the emission of CO2 was increased to 500 ml/minute by
using six CO2-compressed cylinders in even-numbered
traps (Figure 2B). In the odd-numbered traps, the same
low proportion CO2 emission of the first treatment was
maintained. The second treatment was applied from 10th
turn to 13th turn (21 June to 4 July) to examine the
differences in trapped mosquito population size between
low proportion CO2 and high proportion CO2 emission. In
the third treatment (10 July), 500 ml/minute of CO2 was
emitted at all odd- and even-numbered traps by using
12 compressed cylinders of CO2. The CO2 emission
pressure was constantly maintained by the pressure
regulator during the whole study.
In each turn, all samples were collected and a new
catch bag was replaced. The status of power supply and
the amount of CO2 emission were checked. Mosquito
samples collected were brought to the laboratory of Seoul

Figure 2. Experimental design of three different treatment levels (I, II and III) about mosquito study: (I) CO2 concentration, 35–100 ml/
minute in all 12 traps in first nine turns (18 May–18 June) by using liquid naphtha as source of CO2; (II) CO2 concentration, 35–100 ml/
minute in all odd-numbered traps (six traps) and 500 ml/minute in all even-numbered traps (six traps) of 10th to 13th turns (18 June –
4 July, lower and upper graph line) by using liquid naphtha and CO2 cylinders as sources of CO2; (III) CO2 concentration, 500 ml/minute
in all traps (12 traps) of 14th turn (July 10, upper graph line, last turn) by using CO2 cylinder as source of CO2.

Women’s University for species’ identification and count-
ing the mosquito numbers under stereo microscope.
Identification of mosquito species was followed by the
morphological identification keys (Casse et al. 1950; Ree
2003; Varnado et al. 2012).
Statistical analysis
The number of mosquitoes collected per day per trap was
calculated by dividing each turn of total mosquito
numbers by numbers of traps used and the duration of
sampling days (Table 1). Shannon Wiener’s diversity
index (H), richness (S) and evenness (E) were determined
by using PC-Ord version 4.0 (McCune & Mefford 1999;
McCune & Grace 2002).
Results
Abundance and diversity of mosquitoes
We collected 31,715 mosquitoes from 161 mosquito
samples collected during 54 days of study period. We
found six kinds of mosquito genus in the samples. The
genus composition consisted of Aedes (64.531%), Culex
(31.107%), Anopheles (3.241%), Armigeres (1.114%),
Tripteroides (0.004%) and Mansonia (0.003%). We iden-
tified 16 species of six genera. Sixteen species compro-
mised Aedes vexans nipponii (63.838%), Culex pipiens
pallens (30.445%), Anopheles lesteri (1.609%), Anopheles
sinensis (1.566%), Armigeres subalbatus (1.114%), Aedes
albopictus (0.664%), Culex tritaeniorhynchus (0.550%),
Culex orientalis (0.107%), Anopheles sineroides
(0.043%), Aedes bekkui (0.012%), Anopheles yatsushir-
oensis (0.011%), Aedes hatorii (0.007%), Tripteroides
bambusa (0.004%), Mansonia ochracea (0.003%), Culex
pseudovishnui (0.003%), Culex vagans (0.003%), uniden-
tified Anopheles (0.013%) and unidentified Aedes
(0.010%) (Figure 3). The number of species in each genus
was as follows: five of Culex, four of Aedes, four of
Anopheles, one of Armigeres, one of Tripteroides and one
of Mansonia. Some of the Anopheles and Aedes mosquito
species could not be identified because of the develop-
ment of fungus in samples contaminated with rainwater.
We found that only 3% mosquitoes had sucked blood and
97% mosquito had not sucked blood, out of the total
number of 31,715. The total species’ richness (S) was 18,
evenness (E) was 0.317, the Shannon Wiener’s diversity
index (H) was 0.916, and Simpson’s diversity index (D)
was 0.491 (Table 1).
Additional CO2 emission
We found positive relationship and significant effect
between the increased proportion of CO2 emission and
the number of mosquitoes trapped. In the first phase
treatment stage (I), from first turn to ninth turn (21 May to
Animal Cells and Systems 285
18 June), we used low proportion CO2 emission (35–100
ml/minute) and we found 3.98, 6.55, 5.2, 5.37, 7.42,
15.92, 1.15, 29.93 and 52.5 mosquitoes day/trap. We
observed steady increments of mosquito population along
each turn (Figure 4). Before we studied the second phase
treatment stage (II), from 10th to 13th turn (June 18 to
July 4), we found that many mosquitoes still existed
around the cows and we decided to increase amount of
CO2 (500 ml/minute) emission in even-numbered traps.
The number of mosquitoes trapped in each turn was
90.61, 275.06, 89.48 and 247.32 day/trap, respectively.
However, the number of mosquitoes trapped in odd-
numbered traps (no additional CO2 emission) at the
same turns was 24.5, 34.43, 36.15 and 41.83 day/trap.
Our result showed that 5.2 times more mosquitoes were
caught at the increased CO2 emission traps than at the low
proportion of CO2 traps (ANOVA, Pr >F = 0.0299). In the
third treatment phase stage (III), 14th turn (July 10), we
used 12 traps with increased CO2 emission (500 ml/
minute) and the mosquito population was 125.23 day/trap.
When we used increased CO2 (500 ml/minute) emission
in the traps, we caught higher mosquito population at
each turn.
Discussion
Controlling mosquito population by using CO2-baited
Mos-hole trap in a cowshed is a relatively new techno-
logy. Knowing the biology, behavior and ecology of
mosquito species is the most basic requirement for the
successfulness of the mosquito control program. Mosqui-
toes have greater diversity, higher breeding capacity and
greater efficiency to travel long distances, which poses
problems for their effective control. Kline (2006) states
that if there is higher biotic potential and higher popula-
tion density of mosquitoes, they could not be reduced to a
minimum level by using only traps. In our study, the use
of high proportion (500 ml/minute) of CO2 as attractant in
combination with H2O, humidity and heat-release mech-
anism in the Mos-hole traps was found to be more
effective for attracting and catching a large number of
mosquitoes rather than low proportion release (35–100 ml/
minute) of CO2 with similar mechanism. Among the
sampled mosquitoes, we identified six genus with 16
species (2 species cannot be identified) during the period
of study (Figure 3). Among the 16 species, Aedes vexans
nipponii, which is active for seeking host specially in day
time, and Culex pipiens pallens, generally nocturnal in
behavior (Bockarie et al. 2009), have shown highly
dominant response (63.84% and 30.45%) towards CO2-
baited Mos-hole trap. Trout et al. (2007) and Trout and
Brown (2009) also reported similar results that a majority
of Aedes species were trapped under CO2-baited light
traps (without the light), and traps under tree canopy catch
more Culex species in CO2-baited light traps (without the
Table 1. Taxa table of mosquito and average number of mosquitoes per day per trap at three phase stages (I, II, III).

286
Phase I II III

21 June 26 June 02 July 04 July 10 July

H. Yi et al.
No No No No All
21 25 28 02 05 08 14 16 18 CO2 Co2 CO2 CO2 CO2 Co2 CO2 Co2 CO2
Mosquito taxa May May May June June June June June June tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank Total

Duration of 3 4 3 5 3 3 6 2 2 3 3 5 5 6 6 2 2 6
sampling (days)
No. of mosquito traps 12 11 12 11 12 12 11 12 10 6 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 11
used (n)
No. of disturbed – 1 – 1 – – 1 – 2 – 1 1 – – – – – –
mosquito traps (n)
Aedes albopictus Skuse 0.31 0.05 0.31 0.62 0.19 0.39 0.21 0.13 0.25 0.11 0.22 0.12 0.2 0.56 0.42 1.33 1.33 0.58
Aedes bekkui Mogi 0.03 – – – – – – – 0.10 – – – – – – – – –
Aedes hatorii Yamada – – – – 0.08 – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Aedes vexans nipponii 2.64 3.73 2.36 1.22 1.61 3.69 1.68 7.38 27.5 8.94 51.67 11.28 219.00 14.42 73.64 10.58 171.75 91.38
Theobald
Other Aedes – – 0.11 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Anopheles lesteri Baisas 0.08 0.02 0.06 – 0.03 0.31 0.24 0.38 – 0.22 1.50 1.20 8.23 1.03 1.81 0.42 1.58 0.65
and Hu
Anopheles sinensis 0.22 0.34 0.14 0.04 0.67 0.44 0.11 1.21 2.50 0.67 1.17 0.28 3.40 0.64 0.61 1.17 1.58 2.09
Wiedemann
Anopheles sineroides – – – 0.02 – – – 0.04 – – – – 0.07 – 0.25 – – 0.09
Yamada
Anopheles – – – 0.04 – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0.08
yatsushiroensis
Miyazaki
Other Anopheles – – 0.06 – – – – – – – – 0.08 – – – – – –
Armigeres subalbatus – 0.34 0.33 0.47 1.03 1.06 0.97 1.75 1.30 0.28 0.39 0.04 0.87 0.28 0.25 0.08 1.08 1.77
Coquillett
Culex orientalis Edwards – – – – – – 0.06 0.04 – – 0.22 0.12 0.27 – – 0.08 0.33 0.06
Culex pipiens pallens 0.03 2.07 1.00 3.22 1.89 7.72 7.26 19.00 20.80 14.28 35.44 21.28 43.97 19.22 12.42 28.17 69.67 28.53
Coquillett
Culex pseudovishnui 0.03 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Colless
Culex tritaeniorhynchus 0.64 – 0.83 0.24 1.92 2.31 – – 0.05 – – – – – 0.08 – – –
Giles
Culex vagans – – – – – – – – – – – – 0.03 – – – – –
Wiedemann
Mansonia ochracea – – – – – – – – – – – – 0.03 – – – – –
Theobald
Tripteroides bambusa – – – – – – – – – – – 0.04 – – – – – –
Yamada
S 8 6 9 8 8 7 7 8 7 6 7 9 10 6 8 7 7 9 18
E 0.534 0.584 0.723 0.628 0.811 0.728 0.519 0.493 0.507 0.501 0.444 0.404 0.291 0.545 0.294 0.46 0.378 0.346 0.317
H 1.109 1.047 1.588 1.307 1.687 1.416 1.011 1.025 0.986 0.899 0.864 0.888 0.669 0.977 0.612 0.894 0.736 0.761 0.916
D 0.523 0.570 0.722 0.635 0.793 0.684 0.490 0.531 0.566 0.526 0.521 0.510 0.344 0.557 0.303 0.481 0.438 0.415 0.491

Note: Phase I, first nine turns, shows the number of mosquitoes per day/trap when CO2 was released at the rate of 35–100 ml/minute in all traps by combusting liquid naphtha (LN). Phase II, 10th to 13th
turns, shows the number of mosquitoes attracted per day/trap in two kinds of CO2 concentrations: no CO2 tank and CO2 tank; in odd-numbered traps CO2 was released at the rate of 35–100 ml/minute through
combustion of LN and in even numbered traps, CO2 was released at the rate of 500 ml/minute by using compressed gas cylinders. Phase III, 14th turn, shows the number of mosquitoes attracted per day/trap
when CO2 was released at the rate of 500 ml/minute in all traps by using compressed CO2 cylinders. This study has been conducted at Yeoju, and the study period was from 18 May to 10 July 2012. We
calculated the richness (S), evenness (E), Shannon Wiener’s diversity index (H) and Simpson’s diversity index (D).
 Animal Cells and Systems 287

Figure 3. Species’ composition (%) of mosquitoes found in sampling in cowshed of Yeoju during the study period (18 May to 10
July 2012).

light) at ground level. Our study result showed similar
trend as found by Trout et al. (2007). Likewise, Anopheles
sinensis and Anopheles lesteri, which are active at dusk or,
dawn or, night (Bockarie et al. 2009), and Armigeres
subalbatus, active during both day and night (Das et al.
1971; Rudra et al. 2013), have shown mildly dominant
(1.57%, 1.61% and 1.11%, respectively) response towards
CO2-baited Mos-hole trap. The positive response of Aedes
vexans nipponii, Culex pipiens pallens, Anopheles lesteri,
Anopheles sinensis and Armigeres subalbatus species
towards CO2-baited traps suggests us that CO2-baited
Mos-hole trap is efficient for controlling these species of
mosquitoes. However, Aedes albopictus, Culex tritaenior-
hynchus, Culex orientalis, Anopheles sineroides, uniden-
tified Anopheles (other Anopheles), Aedes bekkui,
Anopheles yatsushiroensis, unidentified Aedes (other

Figure 4. Trapped mosquito population with different levels of CO2 released: The graph line is showing the number of mosquitoes
attracted per day/trap; phase I – In the first nine turns, release of CO2 at the rate of 35–100 ml/minute in all traps by combusting liquid
naphtha (LN); phase II – The lower graph line in 10th to 13th turns shows the number of mosquitoes attracted per day/trap in odd-
numbered traps, when CO2 was released at the rate of 35–100 ml/minute through combustion of LN; upper graph line from 10–13 turns
shows the number of mosquitoes attracted per day/trap in even-numbered traps, when CO2 was released at the rate of 500 ml/minute by
using compressed gas cylinders; phase III – The upper graph line in 14th turn shows the number of mosquitoes attracted per day/trap,
when CO2 was released at the rate of 500 ml/minute in all traps by using compressed CO2 cylinders. The schemes of phase I, phase II
and phase III are shown in Figure 2.
288 H. Yi et al.
Aedes), Aedes hatorii, Tripteroides bambusa, Mansonia
ochracea, Culex pseudovishnui and Culex vagans
(0.664%, 0.550%, 0.107%, 0.043%, 0.013%, 0.012%,
0.011%, 0.010%, 0.007%, 0.004%, 0.003%, 0.003% and
0.003%, respectively) showed poor dominant response
(Figure 3). The actual cause of less attraction of these
species is unknown. Further investigation with different
levels of CO2 emission and study of other outside
circumstances regarding their habitat, biology and abund-
ance in the study site are essential to find out the actual
cause.
We used three kinds of treatment to find out mosquito
attraction towards the CO2-baited traps. In the first
treatment, the lower rate (35–100 ml/minute) emission of
CO2 was applied in all 12 traps. Emission of this lower
amount of CO2 appears to be insufficient in catching
higher number of mosquitoes. A steady increase of CO2
emission has seen an increase in trapped mosquito
population (Figure 4) during the period. Even though the
trend of increase in trapped mosquito population is
minimal, the result showed that the release of CO2 has
positive response towards trapping of adult female mos-
quitoes. In the second treatment, comparative study was
done by applying low proportion of CO2 in six odd-
numbered traps and high proportion of CO2 (500ml/
minute) in even-numbered traps to find out the mosquito
catch efficiency of the traps. Increased emission rate
(500ml/minute) of CO2 was nearly equal to the breathing
of cows (emission of CO2 at 250 ml/min is similar to that
of an human-sized animal; Reeves 1953; Laporta &
Sallum 2011), which had a significant effect in capturing
adult female mosquitoes. A positive relation was seen in
increased proportion of CO2 and the captured number of
mosquito population. The number of mosquitoes captured
is 5.2 times more in additional CO2-emitted traps (83.8%
mosquitoes) than in traps that did not emit additional CO2
(16.2% mosquitoes). In the third treatment, increased rate
of CO2 was applied (500ml/minute) in all traps; it was
found that trapped mosquito population increased signifi-
cantly as compared to previous stages (Figure 4). Headlee
(1934) found that the use of CO2 in combination with
mechanical trap increased the number of mosquito
catches. Our study is also very close to that of Headlee
(1934). Therefore, use of CO2 at 500 ml/minute might be
one of the good non-chemical options for controlling
mosquitoes’ population in a cowshed.
Our study further reveals that the emission of higher
rate of CO2 also improves in catching blood-sucked
population of mosquitoes. The captured mosquito speci-
men consisted of 3% blood-sucked population. Mosqui-
toes that feed on blood have the potentiality for
transmitting diseases. Parasites use mosquitoes to com-
plete some part of their life cycle where they multiply or
change their form. After a mosquito lays her eggs, she
seeks a host for another blood meal and transmits the fully
grown parasites to other animals or human beings and vice
versa. A female mosquito can lay 200–300 eggs at a time
and 2–3 times in her life cycle after getting a blood meal.
In a generation, a female mosquito can produce approxi-
mately 500 mosquitoes. We collected 794 blood-sucked
mosquitoes during our study. If they got to produce
offspring, then approximately 397,000 mosquitoes would
have been produced and these 397,000 mosquitoes would
have produced 19.85 billion mosquitoes within a three-
month period of their life cycle. Therefore, capturing of
blood-sucked population of mosquitoes in CO2-baited
Mos-hole traps is another additional advantage in the field
of mosquito control and control of mosquito-borne dis-
eases in livestock as well as in human beings.
The result found by testing new technology to control
mature female mosquitoes, by using CO2-baited MOS-
hole traps, in this study is found encouraging. We could
use this mosquito control method both in cowsheds and in
home areas. This technology is more eco-friendly than
that of many chemical control methods, because it causes
less environment pollution and less health hazardous
effects in human beings as well as in animals. Chemicals
have environment pollution effect, resurgence problem of
pests and resistances developed against chemical in the
pests while using it to control them. Moore et al. (1990)
also indicate that gravid Culex mosquitoes may not be
affected by the use of pesticides to control them. However,
the successfulness of the CO2-baited Mos-hole traps for
trapping mosquitoes depends on many other physical
environment and geographical situations of the study
place. In the context of this study, some of the unfavorable
situations like a small water stream in three sides of the
shed, with stagnant water at various places near to it,
greatly provide favorable condition for laying eggs and
larvae growth of mosquitoes. Likewise, storage of a big
heap of waste tires and storage of agricultural by-products
for cattle near the cowshed favors mosquitoes by provid-
ing resting place. On the other hand, grown-up weeds in
the periphery of the shed and thick forests in 40–200 m
distance in all sides provide harbour for good resting,
laying, and growing atmosphere for mosquitoes from
which a big number of adult mosquitoes come out on
regular basis.
Therefore, it seems essential to manage all outside
circumstances that harbour mosquitoes for getting full
effectiveness of the technology. Therefore, an integrated
approach like destruction of mosquitoes’ resting places
like weeds, clearing stagnant water to avoid laying eggs,
stall cleaning, safe storage of agricultural products and
cleaning the periphery of the yard may help in increasing
the effectiveness of the technique and can decrease
mosquito population. A single approach of control might
not be fully effective for controlling them.

Conclusion
The study of new technology about mosquito control
presented in this article has some positive aspects and
some shortcomings. This technology exhibits positive
response in catching several mosquito species of Aedes,
Culex, Anopheles and Armigeres. Higher level (500ml/
minute) emission of CO2 might be a reliable substitute to
control adult female mosquitoes in cowshed areas. In case
of lowly attracted species, we need to know all the
behavioral aspects and abundance of those mosquito
species in the study site. It is necessary to conduct more
research to find out the species-specific response towards
CO2 for lowly attracted species of Aedes, Culex, Anoph-
eles, Tripteroides and Mansonia. We further suggest
consideration of other circumstances nearby the study
site, if they harbour mosquitoes. We recommend the use
of an integrated approach to control mosquitoes in such a
situation.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by research grants from Seoul
Women’s University.
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