Moorefield, WV, April 17, 2019 - Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) continue to expand their range in the United States and are problematic not only because of their aggressive day-biting behavior, but also as potential vectors of diseases like dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Homeowners often try to protect themselves from the bloodthirsty flying tigers with UV light traps, but the results leave much to be desired. Scientists recently showed how the number of tiger mosquitoes you collect can be greatly increased by adding an artificial human skin scent that is irresistible to the annoying little insects: the BG-Sweetscent. It was developed by Biogents, a German company recognized world-wide by mosquito specialists for their efficient mosquito traps. A team of scientists from Florida, Louisiana, and Germany tested the BG-Sweetscent with six different commercially available mosquito UV light traps. The study was published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, one of the most important scientific journals for mosquito specialists. The result? BG-Sweetscent increases tiger mosquito catch rates in light traps up to 4.2-fold!
The BG-Sweetscent is a new and easy-to-use formulation of the BG-Lure, a professional attractant widely used with mosquito traps by scientists and mosquito control specialists. The EPA-registered BG-Sweetscent is now available for everyone and comes as a small pouch which continuously releases the non-toxic attractants for up to two months. Normally, it is used with a trap called BG-Mosquitaire, the homeowner’s eco-friendly weapon against Asian tiger mosquitoes. “It is great news that many traps people already have at home can be easily improved to catch more Asian tiger mosquitoes, simply by adding a human scent dispenser” says Dr. Scott W. Gordon, the study’s main investigator.
For more information on Biogents and the BG-Sweetscent visit www.us.biogents.com.
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Notes:
Research article:
The article is available at the JAMCA website: https://mosquito-jamca.org/doi/pdf/10.2987/18-6790.1
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All JAMCA articles are available free of charge (open access).
Biogents USA is an affiliate of Biogents AG
Biogents AG is an innovative company on the forefront of mosquito control research and focuses on the development and production of highly efficient mosquito traps. Biogents traps are the latest innovation in mosquito control traps and incorporate patented technology.
Contact
Dr. Scott Gordon (Biogents USA)
scott.gordon@biogents-usa.com
Tel.: +1 (304) 209-6369
Website: www.us.biogents.com
