Patent Application
20190335737
The invention relates to the field of insect traps, more specifically to a mosquito trap that also is a planter for outdoor vegetation.
Mosquitos are nuisance insects that are increasingly viewed as potential health threats. For example, the Aedes aegypti is a prominent mosquito that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, zika fever, and other serious diseases.
Various devices have been developed which seek to reduce mosquito populations by attracting and killing mosquitos or their larvae. One such device is known as an autocidal gravid ovitrap, a dual-chambered unit designed to attract female mosquitoes to standing water, which is a desirable breeding ground. In such devices, a lower basin or similar receptacle is filled with water, and an upper chamber configured to allow the ingress of mosquitoes is suspended above the water-filled lower chamber. Typically, the inner walls of the capture chamber are provided with a layer of adhesive material. In use, mosquitoes are attracted to the standing water in the lower basin. To get close to the water, a mosquito must enter the upper chamber. Upon doing so, the mosquito will contact and stick to the adhesive layer, and thereby become trapped in the capture chamber.
A female mosquito who does not contact the adhesive layer of the capture chamber may avoid capture and survive to lay eggs. In this respect, the device is configured to allow eggs to pass from the capture chamber into the infusion chamber through a selectively penetrable screen formed of a series of pores that are sized to allow passage of mosquito eggs, but not mosquitoes. As a result, mosquitoes that may hatch in the infusion chamber remain trapped therein.
In conventional use, decaying biological matter such as hay or the like is placed into the lower basin to serve as an additional attractant of mosquitoes.
Conventional ovitraps have several impediments that may hinder widespread adoption. For instance, in order to be most effective, ovitraps are required to be rather large and, as such, they can be obtrusive and unsightly. In addition, fresh decaying matter must be continually added to the infusion chamber during long term use. Still furthermore, known ovitraps have limited ability to attract mosquitoes because they do not offer a natural environment that is attractive to mosquitoes.
Embodiments of the invention are directed to an integrated planter and ovitrap system. The planter-trap is formed of a natural plant that is integrated with a mosquito trap. The plant is naturally attractive, making the planter-trap suitable for outdoor decoration or landscaping. At the same time, the integrated mosquito trap functions to trap mosquitoes.
The planter-trap device is formed of a capture chamber, an infusion chamber, and a soil system that supports plants and foliage. The plant and its soil system are positioned above the infusion chamber and a series of drainage apertures disposed below the soil system allows biological matter to flow with drainage water from the soil system into the infusion chamber below. In this manner, biological plant matter is automatically deposited into the infusion chamber concomitant with rainfall or watering of the plant. The plant, thus, continually supplies the trap with biological material, thereby enhancing the trap's attractiveness to mosquitoes.
In addition, the live foliage or other vegetation grown in the planter-trap provides a natural environment for mosquitoes, thereby further increasing the planter-trap's attractiveness to mosquitoes.
The live plant segment of the planter-trap, thus, serves several purposes in embodiments of the invention. For example, the plant provides aesthetic cover to the underlying trap, thereby enhancing the device's adoptability. In addition, the plant and its foliage serve as an additional attractant to lure adult mosquitoes seeking rest. Still further, the plant is a continued source of biological material.
Thus, planter-traps of the invention which support natural plants are aesthetically pleasing, and they may be used to adorn outdoor spaces while simultaneously reducing mosquito populations. The integration of the plant and mosquito trap synergistically enhance the trap's effectiveness and provides self-sustainability.
The invention also provides a method of trapping mosquitos by providing a basin configured to hold a predetermined volume of liquid as an attractant, with an added attractant of natural vegetation. Furthermore, the invention provides a method of automatically replenishing attractant in a mosquito trap during rainfall or other watering.
Other principal features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description, and the appended claims.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the above-identified Drawings. However, the Drawings and the description herein are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. It will be understood that various modifications of the present description are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, features described herein may be omitted, additional features may be included, and/or features described herein may be combined in a manner different from the specific combinations recited herein, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Female mosquitoes in search of appropriate breeding grounds are attracted to standing water, which is necessary for the survival of mosquito larvae. Mosquitoes are also attracted to decaying biological matter such as hay or grass. Furthermore, mosquitoes tend to gravitate to leafy foliage as a place to rest.
The planter-trap set forth herein provides all of the above favorable conditions for attracting mosquitoes, which in combination, may increase the device's efficacy in attracting mosquitoes.
In embodiments of the invention, the lower segment of basin 12 forms a well that is configured to retain a predetermined volume of liquid such as water. As described, any of various quantities of decaying biological matter (e.g. hay) may be added to the water, thereby forming an infusion chamber 25 configured to attract mosquitoes.
In embodiments of the invention, upper insert 14 is releasably secured to basin 12 during use. For example, in embodiments of the invention, upper insert 14 includes a circular ring 26 having a track, channel or a series of retaining barbs configured to receive and grip upper lip 18 of basin 12. As such, upper insert 14 may be seated on basin 12 and selectively secured thereto. It will be understood that any of various temporary securement mechanisms may be used to temporarily secure upper insert 14 to basin 12 in different embodiments of the invention.
As shown, in embodiments of the invention, floor surface 30 of upper insert 14 is formed with a series of openings 39 which serves as a conduit between the infusion chamber 25 and the capture chamber 40.
In use, a removable screen 42 is placed within cylinder 32 and is positioned on the floor 30 of upper insert 14. Screen 42 is sized and shaped to cover openings 39 in floor 30, while at the same time allow mosquitoes to view and sense the standing water in the infusion chamber 25 below. In embodiments of the invention, pore sizes of screen 42 are larger than mosquito eggs, but smaller than mosquitoes. Screen 42, thus, is a selective barrier allowing for the passage of mosquito eggs, while blocking the passage of mosquitoes. As a result, a mosquito egg that is laid in the capture chamber 40 may pass through screen 42 and drop into the infusion chamber 25. However, should a mosquito develop from the egg, it will be blocked by the screen 42 from entering into the capture chamber 40 and it will instead remain trapped in the infusion chamber 25 until it dies.
As shown, in embodiments of the invention an adhesive sheet 44 is inserted into the capture chamber 40. Adhesive sheet preferably has an inner surface 46 that is coated with adhesive material (e.g. glue) and an outer surface 48 that is not coated with adhesive material. The adhesive sheet is rolled and inserted into cylinder 32 such that non-coated outer surface 48 contacts inner surface 34b of cylinder 32 and inner adhesive-coated surface 46 faces inward, toward the center of capture chamber 40.
In embodiments of the invention, a removable vented lid 50 is provided to cover capture chamber 40. For example, still referring to
It is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that to the extent that mosquito eggs or larvae may be present in the infusion chamber 25, such eggs or larvae may be delivered into the capture chamber 40 if the water level in the basin 12 were allowed to rise into the capture chamber 40. Once in the capture chamber 40, mature mosquitoes spawned from the eggs or larvae would be able to escape through the holes 56 in cap 50. To prevent such occurrence, a drain system is provided to maintain the water in the infusion chamber at a level that is below the capture chamber 40. With reference to
Plant 68 and its associated foliage also assist in attracting mosquitoes. In this regard, adult mosquitoes are known to like resting on vegetation. Thus, the plant 68 and its leaves or other foliage serve as an additional attractant to adult mosquitoes.
In embodiments of the invention, trough 58 is substantially circular in shape forming a ring that circumscribes capture chamber 40. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, that other types of arrangement are possible in different embodiments of the invention. For example, in embodiments of the invention capture chamber and a plant/soil system may be disposed substantially in a side-by-side orientation. Alternatively, a plant may be disposed in the center of the unit, and a capture chamber may be formed of a ring that surrounds the plant/soil system.
In embodiments of the invention, and as best shown in the cross-sectional view of
The planter-trap system of the invention provides a method of attracting mosquitoes by providing a combination of foliage and continued infusions of biological material. The system also provides a method of automatically replenishing biological attractants by integrating a plant system with a trapping system.
The planter-trap system of the invention, allows for a method of increasing effectiveness, increasing adoptability and decreasing maintenance requirements of ovitraps. That is, as stated, a level of biological material in the infusion chamber 25 is self-sustained by water or rainfall washing through the soil 66 and sweeping biological materials into the infusion chamber 25. Moreover, the presence of vegetation provides increased attractability of the system.
Having described the subject matter of the application with regard to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitation since further modifications and variations may be apparent or may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the present application cover all such modifications and variations.
