CDC Gravid Trap Model 1712: The CDC Gravid Trap Model 1712 is particularly good for collecting virus-positive mosquitoes since it was designed by Dr. Paul Reiter of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to collect gravid Culex mosquitoes. Although the Standard New Jersey and other light traps will capture these mosquitoes, the specimens are almost all nulliparous and therefore less likely to be infected. Design Characteristics The CDC Gravid Trap was designed by Dr. Paul Reiter of the Centers for Disease Control, Division of Vector-Borne Disease for the selective capture of gravid Culex mosquitoes. By limiting captures to this class of females, problems associated with calculation of minimum virus infection rates were reduced. The trap attracts females by means of an oviposition medium contained in a pan below the trap. The trap operates by creating an upward current of air from within the confines of the pan, so that the mosquitoes are blown into the collection bag during their preoviposition examination of the oviposition medium.
