Token Store Now Selling "Ovitraps" for 50 pesos

If you would like to order one or more of the ovitraps for yourself or your maid or gardener's families, you can send an order to nancyb1123@hotmail.com  


The Token Store in San Juan Cosala has taken on another project, and this one is quite a big one. Last year, San Juan Cosala had a large number of cases of dengue fever.  Ovitraps, can be considered as  "birth control for mosquitoes" and has been used with great success by the U.S. military in areas where malaria is a serious problem.  I have experimented with several materials and have a simple-to-make and inexpensive prototype.  We are working with Lola, the Delegata of San Juan, and physicians from the clinic to get these ovitraps into the households.  We will be training residents of the town to make them.  The actual cost to make one is about 20 pesos, and Lola feels that most people in the town can afford that.  We will, however, need to pay the trained locals who make them a small amount for each.   So we are hoping for sales of these to the Expat community for 50 pesos each, which would help pay the people to make them and to provide free ones to the sick, elderly, disabled, etc. of the town, for which even 20 pesos would be a hardship. We would also be happy to take donations to be able to provide them to these needy locals.  

I have attached a picture of one, and this is how it works.  Mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs on or near stagnant water.  They will, of course, lay them on fresh rainfall, but if given a choice, they will look for stagnant water (the yuckier the better).  Mosquitoes are also attracted to dark colors.  A man's sock, (black and thick is best) is siliconed to the bottom of a yogurt or large cottage cheese plastic container.  Holes are made for the wire for hanging the trap, and a larger overflow hole is placed about 20% down from the top.  The trap will come with a few pieces of dog food in the bottom, which when water is added, in a few days will create yucky water.  The water is wicked up by the sock.  The mosquitoes will lay their eggs on the rim of the container.  When the larvae develop, they will crawl and drop through the small-holed metal screen on the top as they are seeking the water.  When the larvae mature into mosquitoes, they are too big to get back out through the screen.  A plastic screen is glued over the overflow hole to keep them from exiting by that route. The top screen can be occasionally taken off to remove dead mosquitoes. The process takes about 6 weeks to be fully effective and it is supposed to eliminate 98% of the mosquitoes.  About 4-6 ovitraps are needed for an acre of land, so each household in San Juan Cosala would need only one.

These are now available to anyone at lakeside for 50 pesos.

I've just ordered ten of the units for myself and friends.

Question - Where/how are they best hung? Near the house or further away? Near the ground or a a higher elevation? Can they be hung on tree branches amidst the foliage?

TIA

SunFan

Thanks so much for your order!

Use outside, away from sitting area. In the shade, as mosquitoes prefer this to sun. On a branch in foliage is an excellent place because mosquitoes hang out there. Keep filled with water.

Instructions will be included with the ovitrap.

Awesome! What a great idea. I'll take at least 3 of them and send an email when I know how many.

Where do we pick them up?

Thanks for your order!

Nancy Brown is taking the orders and I will pass this along. We will let you know personally when they are ready and how we will get them to you.

I'll take two also. Terrific idea!

Conejorapido,

Please contact at nancyb1123@hotmail.com with your order because she will need your name and a way to contact you.

Thanks so much for your support.

What a wonderful idea! THANK YOU!!! If you can make enough of them, maybe sell them outside the Tuesday Market. (I've emailed Nancy)

What a wonderful idea! Thanks.