Methods for collecting mosquitoes without the use of electricity are advantageous in remote field locations where electricity is not present or is unreliable. Here we report on the development and evaluation of a human-powered system for sampling cavity-resting mosquitoes. The system is composed of a spring-steel framed resting shelter and pneumatic lid that "pumps" mosquitoes resting within the shelter into a capture chamber when the resting shelter is manually compressed. Field evaluation of the system in the Everglades of Florida, USA indicates that the human-powered system is not statistically different than resting shelter vacuum aspiration with regard to the number or physiological status of the adults sampled. Culex (Melanoconion) females dominated collections, indicating that this system would have greatest utility in sampling vectors of zoonotic Alphaviruses in the American tropics.
Keywords: Arbovirus; Culex; Distribution; Florida; Melanoconion; Mosquito trap.
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