WO2018055556A1

WO2018055556A1 - Trap for insects

Info

Publication number: WO2018055556A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/055745
Authority: WO
Inventors: Héctor Julio PARRA MORENO; Jonny Edward DUQUE LUNA; Mayra PATIÑO; Marcela CORREA
Original assignee: Universidad Industrial De Santander
Priority date: 2016-09-23
Filing date: 2017-09-21
Publication date: 2018-03-29

Abstract

The present invention discloses a trap for Triatominae, consisting of a main hollow body with a base and a top face, wherein the base has an area that is larger than the area of the top face. The main body comprises an entrance tunnel (3) that is provided in its top face and extends inwards, acting as an entrance for insects. The trap comprises a bottom cover mounted on the base of the main body to prevent insects inside the trap from escaping, and has an entomological adhesive on the top surface thereof.

Description

TRAP FOR INSECTS

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to insect traps, particularly home traps that allow the capture and elimination of Chagas disease vectors (triatomines).

2. Description of the state of the art

The "Chagas disease" is one of the most important health problems for the Americas. Strongly associated with poverty, this disease does not have accurate prophylactic and therapeutic responses. The burden of Chagas disease in Latin America has varied in recent years, currently occupying the ninth place of diseases with greater morbidity and mortality; Its impact on populations is between 5 and 10 times greater than that caused by malaria. In the Americas, the medical treatment costs of chronic Chagas can reach $ 267 million per year. This, despite the fact that patients do not receive appropriate care to treat the disease.

Chagas disease is one of the most important neglected diseases in Latin America. Each year approximately 50,000 new cases are registered; It occurs in poor rural areas and records a significant increase in urban and peri-urban areas. It is estimated that 5.4 million people will develop the disease in their cardiac form, while 900 thousand will have megaesophagus and megacolon. Affected people are physically weakened, because the infection causes anemia, chronic cardiomyopathy, mega digestive tract, as well as damage to the central nervous system. People who become infected even as children, are limited to work in the fields and may die suddenly in the most productive time of their lives.

One of the objects of the present invention is precisely vector control by capturing and eliminating triatomines to prevent the transmission of disease of Chagas in humans. The market for devices to catch these insects is minimal, limited to two effective traps, since they use live animals as attractive baits. The state of the art discloses devices to trap these insects, such as the VINCHUQUICIDA document

comprising a rectangular sensor with internal divisions made of cardboard, which uses entomopathogenic fungi (with bioinsecticide capacity) combined with specific attractants.

Document WO / 2013/061265 discloses a trap whose objective is the capture of hematophagous (triatomine) insects. The trap consists of a galvanized wire cage that inside a live bait is located as an attractant and is covered with double-sided adhesive tape to catch insects, it has the advantage that triatomines are effectively attracted, it can also be used at the level from the ground or can be hung. This trap does not use electrical energy, but for a common user it has the disadvantage of using a live bait, therefore, it cannot remain installed for periods of more than six hours, which makes it non-operational if there is no personnel for handling .

The trap to collect jungle triatomines that is reported in article: /7www.scielo.br/pdt) 'mioc / v97ní / 436í .pdf, accessed on August 16, 2016, uses live mice as baits, this being also a difficulty for indiscriminate use of the device due to the need to have a mouse to locate inside the trap. Like document WO / 2013/061265, it needs live bait and has the aggravating factor that the rodent could host the parasite that transmits Chagas disease.

US 6,216,384 B 1 discloses a device for catching and killing insects, which allows insects to enter and exit the trap, bringing the bait / poison into their habitat. The device consists of a continuous outer wall that goes from a base or lower surface to an upper annular surface that has a a central axial opening recessed therein. Said axial opening leads to a source of bait contained inside the station. Additionally, the device has a lower surface that is fixed peripherally to the outer side wall and to a part of the inner wall such that a bait / poison can be arranged so that through the axial opening, insects and They can return to their habitat.

The previous analysis shows that there are not enough traps in the market for the attraction, capture and elimination of triatomines, those that exist are used for monitoring and do not seek to eliminate the insect besides the effective traps use a live bait, this can be a disadvantage in the transport, manipulation by a common user and for the trap that a rodent uses could be accidentally infected. The objective is to achieve a device that is simple and can be acquired by the common population affected by the insect. This trap is intended to operate with artificial attractants for hematophagous insects validated in the laboratory and it has been shown so far that in the laboratory they can effectively attract triatomines into the trap.

3. Brief description of the graphics

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a modality of the trap and its components.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective of the trap and its components.

FIG. 3 shows a cut and detail of the trap and its components.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of different modalities of the internal tab of the trap.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a modality of the trap. 4. Brief description of the invention

The present invention consists of an insect trap, particularly household traps that allow the capture and elimination of Chagas disease (triatomine) vectors, preferably made of PLA plastic and by the thermoforming process.

The present invention discloses a triatomine trap, composed of a hollow main housing, which has a base and an upper face and where the base has an area greater than the area of the upper face. Said main housing has an entrance tunnel (3) in its upper face and which extends towards the inside thereof, functioning as an entrance for insects. The trap has a lower cover installed in the base of the main housing, which prevents the exit of insects that are inside the trap and has an entomological glue on its upper surface.

Finally, the capture contains an internal flange (4), located at the inner end of the tunnel, which extends peripherally and serves as an obstacle for insects that intend to escape, causing them to fall back into the entomological glue of the upper surface of the lid bottom of the trap.

5. Detailed description of the invention

The configuration of the present invention will be described using Figures 1 to 4, but it should be understood that this can be done in many other specific ways without departing from the concept or scope of the present invention.

The present invention consists of an insect trap, particularly home traps that allow the capture and elimination of Chagas disease (triatomine) vectors. It should be clarified that its use in a home environment does not imply that it can only be used indoors, since its design is intended to be used both indoors and outdoors, mainly in populations in jungle areas.

The present invention works by three concepts: the first is attraction of the subject (triatomine), the second capture and the third death by discarding the trap. As a mechanism of attraction, the present invention uses visual and chemical stimuli, visual stimuli are shaped by a plurality of colors that can be formed on the outside of the trap. As a person moderately versed in the subject knows, black colors attract the attention of insects because it gives them a feeling of protection and protection. Thus, the external parts of the trap of the present invention can be formed by black colors. In other embodiments, the black color can be contrasted with strips of reflective material, such as those shown in the modality of Figure 1, where the main housing (1) is black and also has reflective stripes (2) installed on the outer surfaces of the main housing (1). The contrast between the black color and the brightness of the reflective material is experimentally proven to be the most attractive for this mainly nocturnal activity insect.

The capture is given by disorientation systems, which consist either of internal labyrinths, as in the case of the preferred embodiment of the invention in an internal flange (4), which consists of a system in which the insect loses its orientation to the Entering the trap, because it disorients when searching for the exit when it is guided by the light that enters through the entrance tunnel (3) of the trap. The result is a trap with attractive attributes for insects, in particular triatomines, that captures and disposes of them in a safe way and with qualities conducive to use in homes or also outdoors.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the trap consists of the following elements: a hollow main housing (1), an entrance tunnel (3), and a place for the bait (7). In other preferred embodiments, the trap has a lower cover (5), as can be seen in the figures. In the schematic mode a housing is shown main (1) hollow with a base and an upper face, where the base has an area greater than the area of the upper face. However, as stated above, the main housing (1) can be a single element without the need to add a lower cover (5), since the characteristic element is that a maze is generated in the upper part of the main housing (1 ) and the entrance tunnel (3), using an internal flange (4) to disorient the insects.

In one embodiment of the invention, said base of the main housing (1) has a lip (9) which extends perimetrically towards the outside of the main housing (1) and is responsible for receiving the lower cover (5) , which is functionally attached to the main housing (1), preferably with glue, and is responsible for sealing the base of the main housing (1).

Additionally, in other embodiments of the invention the lower cover (5) has a film of glue on its upper surface, which is responsible for attaching both the lower cover (5) to the main housing (1) and retention system of insects that fall into the trap. Said lower cover (5) may be made of a plurality of materials, and in preferred embodiments, it is a translucent material to allow internal visualization of the trap. Finally, in other embodiments of the invention, the lower cover (5) has a bait (7) on its upper surface which is inside the main housing (1) when the lower cover (5) is installed in the base of said housing main (1).

On the other hand, the main housing (1) has an entrance tunnel (3) which extends from the upper face of the main housing (1) into the interior. Allowing the entry of insects into the main housing (1), attracted by the bait (7) and the dark environment it perceives when approaching the trap.

Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the invention is shown where the main housing (1) has a truncated cone shape, where the angle of inclination that it has on its side walls, henceforth the rising angle (a), It is in the range of 10 ° to 70 °, allowing the insect attracted by the bait (7) the easy ascent to the entrance tunnel (3).

It should be understood that in other embodiments not illustrated by the invention, the main housing (1) may have other geometric shapes, including a truncated pyramidal shape, but it may also include the same inclination ranges at its angle of rise (a).

Like the main housing (1), in one embodiment of the invention, the entrance tunnel (3) also has a truncated cone shape, where its base is located on the upper face of the main housing (1) and It extends into it, guiding insects to the bait (7) contained inside the main housing (1). Said truncated cone shape of the entrance tunnel (3), where the angle of inclination it has on its side walls, hereinafter the entrance angle (β), is in the range of 10 ° to 70 °. Said opening (3) allows insects, which are attracted to the bait (7), facilitating access to the interior of the main housing (1). In other embodiments not illustrated by the invention, the entrance tunnel (3) may have a truncated pyramidal shape, but also handles the same inclination ranges at its entrance angle (β).

Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the entrance tunnel (3), which as stated, in the mode in which the entrance (3) is a truncated cone, it has a small base and a wide base. The small base is located inside the main housing (1), with an internal flange (4) that extends perimeter towards the outside of the tunnel, which is responsible for disorienting and preventing the passage of insects to the outside that does not have been trapped by the glue of the lower cover (5).

The internal tab (4) has the function of disorienting the insect and creating a labyrinth-like space that prevents the insect from reaching the entrance (3) and getting out of the trap. As illustrated in FIG. 4, said internal tab (4) can have multiple profiles, as for example, but not limited only to those shown in the figures, a straight line, an arc, a corner with an acute angle, a spiral, among others.

Finally, referring to FIG. 5, an embodiment of the invention is observed where the main housing (1) has a base in the form of a drop of water, this is because one of the habitats of the triatomines are the palms and the trap has to be installed in its leaves, being a terrestrial insect, the traps can not be suspended but must be installed on a surface so that the insect walks inside of these looking for the bait or shelter. Analyzing the structure of the palms, it was detected that the best place is the stems of the leaves at the place that leave the trunk, having a flat and wide shape, which decreases in thickness as the stem moves away from the trunk, allowing that the form of water drop is coupled, also starting with a greater width at one of its ends and subsequently reducing its width.

Example

In a preferred embodiment, the trap is configured by a main housing (1) made of a thermoformed plastic sheet, preferably PLA 2mm thick and black in color, this being a biodegradable plastic but allowing the trap to be used outdoors. without being damaged. Additionally, the main housing (1) has a truncated cone shape in a staggered manner, starting with a 30 ° inclination in the lower part of the cone and modifying at a 66 ° inclination in its upper part, the two sections with a 20mm height The base of the main housing (1) has a diameter of 160 mm, ending in a diameter of 70 mm on its upper face. Being a thermoformed piece, the main housing (1) and the entrance tunnel (3) located on the upper face are formed as the same piece, where the entrance tunnel (3) extends 15 mm towards the inside of the main housing (1), starting with a diameter of 64 mm at its upper end and ending with a diameter of 40 mm inside the main housing (1). The main housing (1) after being formed through the thermoforming process, is punched leaving a lip (9) at its base, with a diameter of 170 mm or a width of 5 mm. Where said lip (9) is responsible for receiving the bottom cover (5) and joining by means of the use of glue. The bottom cover (5) is punched out in a 2mm translucent PLA sheet (to allow the inside of the trap to be seen) and has an entomological glue on its upper surface, particularly siliconized rubber on film, which is inside the main housing (1) when attached to it operationally. Additionally, the lower cover (5) has the bait (7) installed on its upper surface, which is also inside the main housing (1) when the lower cover (5) is installed.

Attractant methods are used a bait (5) installed on the upper surface of the lower cover (5), specifically the artificial attractant Biogent Sweetcent that simulates substances found in human skin, and strips of reflective material (2) installed in the exterior of the main housing (1), which in contrast to the black material of the same generate an attractive contrast for nocturnal insects.

Finally, an internal flange (4) and ventilation holes (8) are used as disorientation methods. Said internal flange (4) that extends perimeter 14 mm in a linear manner towards the outside of the entrance tunnel (3) at the end of the tunnel inside the main housing (1), thus generating a disorientation mechanism for insects that are trying to escape guided by the light entering from the entrance. Additionally, said ventilation holes (8) are located on the outer face of the housing (1) and allow to generate air currents inside the trap, which also help in the disorientation of the insect, it should be clarified that the holes have to have a size that does not allow the insects contained inside the trap to escape. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the modalities described and illustrated, since as will be evident to a person versed in the art, There are possible variations and modifications that do not deviate from the spirit of the invention, which is only defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Insect trap, comprising:

to. a hollow main housing (1); Y

b. an entrance tunnel (3) located on the upper face of the main housing (1) and extending towards the inside thereof, where at its end located inside the main housing (1) it has an internal flange that extends perimeter outward from the entrance tunnel (3).

2. The trap of Claim 1, wherein the main housing (1) has a base and an upper face where the base has an area greater than the area of the upper face.

3. The trap of Claim 1, wherein it also has a lower cover (5) functionally attached to the base of the main housing (1).

4. The trap of Claim 1, wherein the insect is a triatomine vector of Chagas disease.

5. The trap of Claim 1, characterized in that the main housing (1) has a geometric shape of a truncated cone.

6. The trap of Claim 1, characterized in that the main housing (1) and the inlet tunnel (3) are made of the same thermoformed plastic part.

7. The trap of Claim 6, characterized in that the main housing (1) and the inlet tunnel (3) are made of 2mm black PLA plastic.

8. The trap of Claim 1, characterized in that the main housing (1) has strips of reflective material (2) on its outer faces.

9. The trap of Claim 1, characterized in that the lower cover (5) has entomological glue on its upper surface.

10. The trap of Claim 1, characterized in that the lower cover (5) has a bait (7) on its upper surface.