In Southern Nevada, the primary mosquito breeding months are April through October, with submission for disease analysis beginning typically in June. The Health District uses several types of mosquito traps including, Encephalitis Vector Surveillance, Gravid, and BG Sentinel traps. Each offers a different method of attracting mosquitoes while targeting specific mosquito vectors.

Encephalitis Vector Surveillance (EVS) traps , designed to attract host seeking female mosquitoes using carbon dioxide (dry ice) as the primary attractant, captures mosquitoes of several genera, including Culex, Anopheles, and Aedes.

Gravid traps are designed to capture egg laden (gravid) female mosquitoes using a baited water solution intended to simulate stagnant water found in the environment. This trap is designed to primarily capture Culex mosquitoes.

BG Sentinel traps utilize color cues, artificially generated air plumes, and a scent lure to attract mosquitoes. This trap was designed specifically for attracting Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. These mosquitoes are capable of vectoring emerging diseases including Chikungunya and Dengue Fever. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been identified in Clark County. To date, no mosquitoes have tested positive for these viruses.

Traps are set overnight in potential mosquito breeding areas such as washes, drainage ditches, pools of standing water, plant nurseries and private residences. From the collection sites, live mosquitoes are frozen on dry ice and transported to the Health District’s onsite lab, where they are sorted by species and gender, and then pooled for submission. One pool consists of no more than 50 adult females of a single species from the same trap. Once pooled, the mosquitoes are placed into vials, packed in ice and shipped overnight for analysis to the Nevada Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Lab (ADL) in Reno

Annual reports detailing surveillance and control activities since 2004 can be found on the Health District’s web site at /news-info/statistics-surveillance-reports/vector-borne-and-zoonotic-diseases/