FR3048330A1 - INSECT TRAP AS MOSQUITOUS - Google Patents

Abstract

A flying insect trap, in particular with mosquitoes, comprises a body (1) delimiting a substantially tubular internal volume, the inner volume being subdivided into successive first, second and third zones (C) along the axis of the tube, the first zone (A) having openings through which the flying insects can enter, the second zone (B) being connected to a suction system (2), and the third zone (C) being provided with means attraction (13) for attracting mosquitoes, the attraction means (13) for diffusing olfactory lures inside and in the trap environment and diffusing visible and infrared light inside the tube .

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an insect trap, particularly to mosquitoes.

PRIOR ART

Some species of insects can pose serious health problems. This is the case of mosquitoes, especially Aedes mosquitoes, which are the vectors of viruses such as those of dengue, chikungunya or zika, or anopheles mosquitoes, vectors of the Plasmodium parasite responsible for malaria, and others. viruses such as Tataguine or Sindbis.

Chemical control is one of the most widely used ways to limit the risk of spread. However, the use of plant protection products against these insects poses other environmental problems. Moreover, it is useful to be able to recognize the presence of these insects at the earliest in order to trigger the adequate sanitary actions.

Document US 2005/238713 (A1) shows an example of a mosquito and tick trap which is in the form of a lantern. It has a liquid reservoir, such as water or acetic acid, which is able to let the liquid drip on a material contained in a tank, so as to generate the emission of carbon dioxide and possibly ammonia. In addition, a mass acting as a thermal reservoir is disposed in the foot of the apparatus. The latter has sticky surfaces so as to catch insects that come to rest or walk on said surfaces.

Such a device does not reliably capture mosquitoes approaching the trap since it must wait until they are placed on the sticky surfaces to trap them.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

To solve these problems the invention aims to provide a device for capturing as specifically as possible mosquito disease vectors, to facilitate their identification as early as possible and reduce their number.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With these objectives in view, the object of the invention is a trap for flying insects, in particular mosquitoes, characterized in that it comprises a body delimiting an interior volume of substantially tubular shape, the interior volume being subdivided into a first, a second and a third zone successive along the axis of the tube, the first zone having openings through which the flying insects can enter, the second zone being connected to a suction system, and the third zone being provided with means attraction to attract mosquitoes, the means of attraction for diffusing olfactory lures inside and in the trap environment and diffuse visible and infrared light inside the tube.

Mosquitoes, specifically females, feed at certain periods of the blood to be alive and use various signals to find their target, by the phenomena of phototaxis and chemotaxis. It is through their bite that the viruses and parasites they transmit are transmitted. They are sensitive on the one hand to the heat of the bodies, and therefore to the infrared that these emit. They are also sensitive to the odors that develop with perspiration, breathing and moisture. They are also sensitive to the light that is close to that of the moon. Using a combined simulation of all of these signals, the inventor found that female mosquitoes were particularly attracted to the trap. Upon entering the first zone, a mosquito is attracted to the third zone. But crossing the second zone, it is sucked by the suction system and is trapped. Once the mosquito is trapped, it is possible to identify it, analyze it and implement the appropriate protective measures. Such a trap is therefore an important aid for the control of insect-borne diseases, for the surveillance it allows and for the elimination of mosquitoes.

According to a constructive arrangement, the zones are separated by diaphragms. The passage thus restricted by the diaphragms creates an acceleration of the sucked air, which more surely channels the mosquito towards the aspiration system.

According to an improvement, the diaphragms have a section in a V-shaped axial plane whose tip is opposite to the second zone. This shape has an even greater acceleration effect than a flat ring.

In a particular arrangement, the diaphragms are made of steel. They thus participate in the diffusion of odor containing iron, which simulates the presence of hemoglobin to which the female mosquitoes are sensitive. The odor emission can be enhanced by coating the diaphragms with castor oil, which accelerates the emission of odor containing iron and fatty acids similar to the kairomones of a mammal.

According to a constructive arrangement, the attraction means comprise a light source in the third zone visible from the first zone and surrounded by a dark blue face. Such an arrangement helps to simulate a nocturnal phase, with the presence of the moon in the dark blue sky, and to stimulate the activity of mosquitoes, in phase with this temporality.

According to another constructive arrangement, the attraction means comprise gel bags in the third zone, visible from the first zone, and heating means for maintaining the bags at a predetermined temperature. The bags simulate a hot mass of flesh, able to make the mosquitoes perceive the presence of a mammal. Mosquitoes perceiving this mass are encouraged to move towards the third zone.

According to another complementary arrangement, the attraction means comprise a steam generator and intermittently steam diffusion means in the first zone, in the third zone and / or around the trap.

According to one improvement, the diffusion means are adapted to diffuse in addition to the vapor a fragrant compound simulating kairomones.

According to a complementary arrangement, the attraction means comprise a gas diffusion circuit such as carbon dioxide, the circuit comprising a passage in the third zone and diffusion mouths for intermittently diffusing the gas in the first zone and / or outside the trap. The emission of such a gas is perceived as being identified to a mammal by mosquitoes, which attracts females foraging. The attraction is enhanced by intermittent emissions, simulating breathing.

According to a constructive arrangement, the suction system is connected to at least one suction mouth emerging on the tubular wall in the second zone, the section of the mouth gradually decreasing toward the suction system. The restriction of the section towards the suction system accelerates the flow velocity and makes irreversible the path of the insect which has reached the second zone. The trap can thus have two suction mouths.

According to an improvement, the suction mouth has partitions spaced from the walls of the mouth to delimit convergent channels in the direction of the suction system. The effect of acceleration of the flow is reinforced.

According to a complementary arrangement, the body has gills in the third zone to diffuse the gaseous content of the third zone to the outside. Humidity, gases and odors are thus released into the trap environment to be captured and attract targeted insects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other features and advantages will appear in the description which will be made of a machine according to the invention, as well as its implementation.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a general view of the trap according to one embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the body of the trap of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a sectional view along line MI-MI of Figure 2; Figures 4 and 5 are views of the suction system; - Figure 6 is a schematic view of an installation of several traps according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A trap for flying insects, in particular mosquitoes, according to one embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The trap comprises a body 1 delimiting an interior volume of substantially tubular shape, and a suction system 2 deportee body 1 to which it is connected by two air ducts 21, as shown in Figure 1. The inner volume of the body 1 is subdivided into a first, a second and a third successive zone A, B, C along of the axis of the tube. The axis of the tube is arranged in a vertical position, but it could be inclined or horizontal. The first zone A having lateral openings 11 through which flying insects can enter. The second zone B comprises two suction ports 12 which are respectively connected to the two air ducts 21 to be connected to the suction system 2. The third zone C is provided with attracting means 13 for attracting mosquitoes, attraction means 13 for diffusing olfactory lures inside and in the trap environment and for diffusing visible and infrared light inside the body 1.

The body 1 comprises two steel diaphragms 14 which separate on the one hand the first and the second zone B, and on the other hand the second and the third zone C. The diaphragms 14 have a section in a V-shaped axial plane. whose tip 140 is opposite to the second zone B.

The attraction means 13 comprise a light source 130 in the third zone C visible from the first zone A and surrounded by a face 131 of dark blue color.

Still, in the third zone C, the attraction means 13 comprise bags 132 of gel or liquid, visible from the first zone A, and heating means for maintaining the bags 132 at a predetermined temperature. The bags 132 may have the shape of tori. The heating means may be formed by a liquid circulation circuit passing through all the bags 132 and in a heating device, not shown. Alternatively, the heating means may be electrical resistors integrated into each bag 132.

The attraction means 13 furthermore comprise a steam generator, not shown, and intermittently steam diffusion means 133 in the first zone A, in the third zone C and around the trap, with exits since the first zone A. The diffusion means 133 also make it possible to diffuse a fragrant compound simulating kairomones and serving as an olfactory decoy. For this, the diffusion means 133 comprises a pilot valve that allows to pass steam on command, at a clock rate. Alternatively, we can reproduce the principle of geysers on a small scale. The odorant compound can be mixed with steam or use the pressure thereof to be separately diffused.

The attraction means 13 further comprise a gas diffusion circuit 134 such as carbon dioxide which also serves as an olfactory decoy. The gas comes for example from a bottle of carbon dioxide under pressure or liquid, not shown. The circuit having a passage in the third zone C in which the expanded gas, and therefore cold, will cause on the condensation circuit, able to add and concentrate moisture in the third zone C. 1340 diffusion vents for intermittently diffuse the gas are provided in the first zone A and outside the trap.

The body 2 has gills 25 in the third zone C to diffuse the gaseous content of the third zone C towards the outside.

Each suction mouth 12 connected to the suction system 2 opens on the tubular wall of the body 1 in the second zone B. The section of the suction mouth 12 decreases progressively towards the suction system 2 is that is to say in the direction of the air flow sucked by the system 2. The suction mouth 12 has partitions 120 away from the walls of the mouth to delimit channels 121 converging toward the suction system 2, as shown in Figure 3.

The suction system 2 comprises a filter 22 able to collect the insects that have been sucked, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The filter 22 comprises a casing of tubular shape, connected at its ends to two parts of the duct. suction 21. The envelope comprises a inspection flap 225 to access the interior of the filter 22. A filter element 220 is disposed at the end of a downstream tubular portion 221 and fixed by a ring 222 surrounding the tubular end downstream 221, so as to completely cover the section of the tubular end. An upstream tubular portion 223 opens opposite the filter element 220. The filter element 220 comprises a skirt 2201 which covers the upstream tubular end 223 and held by another ring 224.

In operation, the suction system 2 is on the way and draws air contained in the body 1 of the trap through the filter 22. The flexible bags 132 are put in temperature, so that the inside of the body 1 at a temperature between 18 and 30 ° C and the bags at about 37 ° C. Thus, the trap is able to stimulate the sensory thermal sensors of a female mosquito. The diffusion means 133 intermittently diffuses steam, added if necessary substances simulating kairomones, both inside and outside the body 2. Steam also escapes through the gills 25. At the same time, carbon dioxide is released both inside and outside the trap. These elements activate the chemical sensory sensors of the female mosquito so as to trigger an attraction for it to move towards the trap. Until entering the first zone A. Arrived in this zone, the mosquito perceives the bags 132 of gel or liquid kept in temperature, the light on a dark background, which attracts it towards the third zone C. It is caught in the passage of the second zone B and ends on the filter element 220 of the filter 22. It is then possible to put a cap on the filter element 220 to remove it and replace it, while keeping the insects. trapped between the filter element 220 and the cap.

The trap can be supplemented by monitoring devices. For example, a camera can take images of the filter element 220 to retransmit these from a distance to analyze, count and identify the captures. The camera can be coupled with a real-time analysis system that automatically performs the counting and identification of captures, in order to transmit only alerts.

In an alternative installation, as shown in Figure 6, the trap comprises a suction system 2 'for several bodies 1, distributed around it.

Claims (12)

claims 1. Trap flying insects, in particular mosquitoes, characterized in that it comprises a body (1) defining an interior volume of substantially tubular shape, the interior volume being subdivided into a first, a second and a third zone (C ) along the axis of the tube, the first zone (A) having openings through which the flying insects can enter, the second zone (B) being connected to a suction system (2), and the third zone (C) being provided with attracting means (13) for attracting mosquitoes, the attracting means (13) for diffusing olfactory lures inside and in the trap environment and diffusing visible light and infrared inside the tube. 2. Trap according to claim 1, wherein the areas (A, B, C) are separated by diaphragms (14). Trap according to claim 2, wherein the diaphragms (14) have a section in a V-shaped axial plane whose tip is opposite to the second zone (B). 4. Trap according to claim 2, wherein the diaphragms (14) are made of steel. 5. Trap according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the attraction means (13) comprise a light source (130) in the third zone (C) visible from the first zone (A) and surrounded by a dark blue face. 6. Trap according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the attraction means (13) comprise bags (132) of gel or liquid in the third zone (C), visible from the first zone (A). and heating means for maintaining the bags (132) at a predetermined temperature. Trap according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the attraction means (13) comprise a steam generator and intermittently steam diffusion means (133) in the first zone (A), in which the third zone (C) and / or around the trap. 8. Trap according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the diffusion means (133) are adapted to diffuse in addition to steam a fragrant compound simulating kairomones. 9. Trap according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the attraction means (13) comprise a gas diffusion circuit (134) such as carbon dioxide, the circuit having a passage in the third zone ( C) and diffusion vents (1340) for intermittently diffusing the gas into the first zone (A) and / or outside the trap. 10. Trap according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the suction system (2) is connected to at least one suction mouth (12) opening on the tubular wall in the second zone (B), the section of the mouth (12) progressively decreasing toward the suction system (2) A trap according to claim 10, wherein the suction mouth (12) has partitions (120) spaced from the walls of the mouth (12) to define channels (121) converging towards the suction system ( 2). Trap according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the body (1) has gills (25) in the third zone (C) for diffusing the gaseous content of the third zone (C) outwards.