Backyard tiger mosquito control

The “BG-GAT” is a passive trap to stop the next generation of tiger mosquitoes

Backyard tiger mosquito control with the BG-GAT trap

 

Biogents BG-GAT (Gravid Aedes Trap) is a low-cost and easy to use tool that can help you reduce the population of Asian tiger (Aedes albopictus) and yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) in your backyard. These species are day active, very aggressive, and can transmit diseases like dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya.

In comparison to the BG-Mosquitaire trap which attracts mosquitoes seeking a bloodmeal, the BG-GAT targets a different stage of the mosquitoes: those mosquitoes that have already bitten and are now searching for a place to lay their eggs. The trap mimicks an alternative breeding site and uses water and oviposition cues to attract egg laying female Asian tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes. Once in the trap, the mosquitoes are collected on a sticky surface and die. Catching egg-laying females is important for two reasons:

  • First, since they have already fed on a host, they may have picked up a pathogen which could be transmitted when they feed again.
  • Secondly, each female has the potential to produce between 50 – 100 eggs to expand the population. By removing these mosquitoes, the BG-GAT trap helps to stop the next generation of tiger mosquitoes and limit population expansion.

The trap is passive, which means it does not require power or supplemental attractants like CO2 or chemical lures. This provides great flexibility in deployment and easiness in handling. In order to achieve maximum effectiveness of the BG-GAT it is recommended to remove competitive breeding sources. Females that have already had a bloodmeal are found in much smaller numbers in the population compared to those that are host-seeking. Therefore, the BG-GAT will naturally catch fewer mosquitoes than the BG-Mosquitaire.

The BG-GAT trap

  • is low-cost
  • easy to set up and deploy
  • needs no power
  • does not use pesticides

Its affordability and ease of use make the BG-GAT well-suited for both the individual backyard mosquito control and for neighborhood control programs.
The BG-GATs are available in multiples of 2 or 12.

Worldwide distribution of tiger mosquitoes Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes polynesiensis
Worldwide distribution of tiger mosquitoes Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes polynesiensis

Principle of function

Female Asian tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes are attracted by water and oviposition cues and enter the transparent chamber through the black funnel. Once in the chamber, mosquitoes try to escape through the translucent windows where they are captured when they contact the surface of the sticky card. The mesh provides a barrier between mosquitoes and the infused water in the lower chamber. The sticky card in the transparent chamber will kill the mosquitoes.

“2 + 1” trap solution

The addition of the highly effective BG-Mosquitaire suction trap to the BG-GATs adds another dimension to your control effort: While the BG-GAT targets mosquitoes that are looking for a place to lay their eggs, the BG-Mosquitaire targets mosquitoes that are seeking for a bloodmeal-host. Therefore, the use of 2 BG-GATs in combination with 1 BG-Mosquitaire is the ideal solution.

2 x BG-GAT

  • low-cost
  • easy to set up and deploy
  • no power supply and attractant required
  • targets mosquitoes that are looking for a place to lay their eggs
  • lower catch rates than the BG-Mosquitaire

1 x BG-Mosquitaire

  • highest catch rates
  • robust
  • easy to set up
  • power supply required
  • targets mosquitoes that are searching for a bloodmeal-host

The placement of the mosquito trap is an important factor to ensure high catch rates.
Therefore, it is best to test different locations!

Positioning of the BG-GAT mosquito trapPositioning

A humid, shady, and wind-protected location is very attractive to mosquitoes. Also, the black color of the BG-GAT attracts mosquitoes from some distance. Thus, the trap needs to be placed at a shady, humid place where it is readily visible, but protected from rain.

Effect

For efficient and sustainable mosquito control it is necessary to

  • avoid competition between the BG-GAT trap and other breeding sites. Therefore, remove or empty competing breeding sites, such as flower pots, vases, buckets, water barrels, rain gutters, discarded cups and bottles, and plants that hold small quantities of water.

If the traps are correctly positioned and used continuously throughout the season, they will help to decrease the mosquito population in your backyard.

Features

  • Standing trap, made of robust plastic
  • Weight: 1.0 lbs / 0.44 kg
  • Dimension: 10.2 x 12.2 in / 26 x 31 cm
  • No power supply needed

Contents

Available as set of two or twelve traps. When ordering, you get everything you need to begin catching tiger mosquitoes:

BG-GAT Double Set:
2 x trap: 2 x transparent chamber, 2 x black bucket, 2 x barrier net, 2 x funnel
1 x sticky card set: 10 cards per set

6 x BG-GAT Double Set:
12 x trap: 12 x transparent chamber, 12 x black bucket, 12 x barrier net, 12 x funnel
6 x sticky card set: 10 cards per set

Development
The BG-GAT trap was developed by Dr. A. E. Eiras from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and Dr. S. A. Ritchie from the James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Biogents produces and distributes the trap under a license agreement with both universities.

Examples of areas where traps can be used

  • backyards and gardens
  • outdoor cafés and restaurants
  • hotel outdoor areas
  • campgrounds
  • facilities for outdoor sports and recreation

Placement of traps helps to diminish the local mosquito population when

  • correctly positioned, see “Positioning & effect
  • continuously operated (24 hours a day throughout the mosquito season)
  • operation begins early in the season

“2 + 1” trap solution

The addition of the highly effiective BG-Mosquitaire suction trap to the BG-GATs adds another dimension to your control effort: While the BG-GAT targets mosquitoes that are looking for a place to lay their eggs, the BG-Mosquitaire targets mosquitoes that are seeking for a bloodmeal-host. Therefore, the use of 2 BG-GATs in combination with 1 BG-Mosquitaire is the ideal solution.

Scientific studies on the BG-GAT and other Biogents traps

Images of publications

October 2018
Publication:
Johnson BJ, Brosch D, Christiansen A, Wells E, Wells M, Bhandoola AF, Milne A, Garrison S, Fonseca DM. 2018. Neighbors help neighbors control urban mosquitoes. Sci Rep. 8(1):15797.

https://doi:10.1038/s41598-018-34161-9

PDF Download the publication >>

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June 2017
Publication:
J. E. Cilek, J. A. Knapp, A. G. Richardson (2017) Comparative Efficiency of Biogents Gravid Aedes Trap, CDC Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap, and CDC Gravid Trap in Northeastern Florida. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 33(2):103-107. 2017
https://doi.org/10.2987/16-6628.1

PDF Download publication >

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September 2016
Publication:
Johnson et al., 2016: Field comparisons of the Gravid Aedes Trap (GAT) and BG-Sentinel trap for monitoring Aedes albopictus populations and notes on indoor GAT collections in Vietnam, Journal of Medical Entomology
PDF Download the publication >
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May 2016
Publication:
Heringer et al., 2016: Evaluation of Alternative Killing Agents for Aedes aegypti in the Gravid Aedes Trap (GAT)
PDF Download the publication >
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March 2016
Brian Johnson and Scott Ritchie (James Cook University, Cairns, Australia) describe field trials of the BG-GAT trap, Singapore sticky and CDC AGO traps in 2014 – 2015 with very good results for the BG-GAT trap!
PDF Download the presentation >
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September 2014
Publication:
Eiras, A.E., Buhagiar, T.S., and Ritchie, S.A. (2014): Development of the Gravid Aedes Trap for the Capture of Adult Female Container–Exploiting Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). J. Med. Entomol. 51(1): 200-209
PDF Download the publication >
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PDF List of studies with Biogents traps >

PDF List of scientific publications of our researchers >

The Biogents trap system – stronger together

Biogents Trap System

Biogents recommends to use the BG-GAT trap in combination with a BG-Mosquitaire trap for outdoors. Both traps complement each other in an ideal way since they target tiger mosquitoes of different stages. The third component, the BG-Home, captures those tiger mosquitoes that entered your house, and other flying insects indoors.

The complete Biogents trap system is available here >

If you are mainly bothered by mosquitoes other than tiger mosquitoes, e.g., house or floodwater mosquitoes, we recommend to use outdoors exclusively the BG-Mosquitaire trap in combination with CO2 and the BG-Booster CO2.

Ordering and Pricing

The BG-GATs are available in multiples of two. Prices can be found in the US webshop.

If you are located in the US, the trap can be ordered fast and conveniently through the US webshop.

Biogents US webshop

If you are located outside the EU or the US, please order through e-mail or fax:
e-mail: sales@biogents-usa.com
fax: +49 941 569 921 68