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Three commercially available backpack sprayers were evaluated with Aqualuer® 20-20 (20.6% permethrin, active ingredient; 20.6% piperonyl butoxide, technical) against caged adult Aedes aegypti in semifield trials in northeastern Florida. Two battery-powered sprayers, Birchmeier and Hudson, were compared with the standard hand-pump SOLO 425 sprayer, which is currently used in pest management operations. Physical characteristics, droplet analysis, and overall ease of use were documented. Multiple dilutions of the insecticide were also evaluated. The results indicated that the Birchmeier sprayer was the preferable machine in terms of its physical characteristics and operator use. There was no significant difference in percent mortality of the test mosquitoes between the sprayers. Multiple dilutions ranging from 1:9 to 1:1050 of the insecticide resulted in greater than 80% mean mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five light traps including 2 standard traps (New Jersey light trap and CDC light trap) and 3 new light traps (UV light trap, black light trap, and yellow fluorescent light trap) were evaluated for the collection of mosquitoes and non-target insects in northeast Florida from Sep to Oct 2013. In the evaluation of light traps without a chemical lure, the black light and CDC light traps collected large numbers of mosquitoes, and the ratios of mosquitoes to non-target insects were 1:7.5 and 1:8.9, respectively. In the evaluation of the 5 light traps, each baited either with octenol or with BG-Lure, the black light and CDC light traps collected larger numbers of mosquitoes than the other 3 types of traps. The ratios of mosquitoes to non-target insects were 1:2.8 and 1:6.7 for black light traps baited with octenol and BG-Lure, respectively, and 1:1.5 and 1:5.2 for CDC traps baited with octenol and BG-Lure, respectively. The results indicated that the black light trap was the best of the new traps evaluated based on its mosquito capture capabilities, while collecting the least non-target insects. Use of black light traps will benefit mosquito population surveillance by increasing the capture of insects of medical and veterinary importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]