Ottawa – Researchers in Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada have developed a cheap mosquito trap out of old tires that can collect thousands of eggs that may carry the Zika virus, according to an AFP report.
Called an “ovillanta,” the contraption consists of cutout tires and a liquid solution that lures Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These are known to carry a number diseases, including Zika which has been held responsible for infant brain disorders.
According to AFP, in this method, the females lay their eggs on a wooden or paper strip inside the tire trap. The strip can be removed weekly and the eggs destroyed by using fire or ethanol.
Tires represent up to 29 percent of breeding sites chosen by the Aedes aegypti, according to project researcher Gerardo Ulibarri.
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