Troncones Mosquito Control Project
Spende geschützt
Villagers working to reduce mosquito-borne dengue, Zika virus and chikungunya.
We live between Troncones and Majahua, two small villages on the southwest coast of Mexico. Over the last year more than 80% of the people living in these villages contracted either dengue or chikungunya, a dengue-like illness. Both of these are transmitted by the Aedes spp. mosquito, which can also carry the Zika virus.
A Canadian researcher at the Laurentian University, Dr. Gerard Ulibarri, designed a mosquito trap called an “ovillanta.” It consists of two sections of an old car tire, one facing up and the other facing down, plus a small piece of PVC pipe and a valve. The lower section of tire holds water infused with a non-toxic milk based solution (that attracts female Aedes spp. mosquitos) and a strip of paper on which the female lays her eggs.
The fluid is drained from the lower tire via the pipe, filtered to remove any larvae, and returned to the tire, twice a week. The paper strips can stay as long as they remain clean, otherwise they are removed and the eggs are destroyed with fire.
A 10-month test study was done in Guatemala. The “ovillanta” trap proved to attract seven times more mosquitos than standard traps. They are a low-cost, environmentally safe method of seriously reducing the numbers of this type of mosquito that can carry and transmit three very unpleasant and potentially fatal illnesses, including the Zika virus that is garnering press around the world. And it does all this without the use of chemicals.
The “ovillanta” system is estimated to cost only a fraction of what it costs to target adult insects with pesticides. Still the cost of the traps, while relatively inexpensive to Americans or Canadians, is equivalent to at least one, two, or three day’s wages to the people in these villages. In addition, the liquid attractant and paper for the eggs must be replaced regularly.
Rainy season is almost upon this area and we are helping the villagers to implement an abatement program to significantly reduce the population of Aedes spp. mosquitos.
Like many of the North Americans who have homes in the Troncones to Majahua corridor, we spend as much time as we can there and get involved in many of the community projects along with the local residents. The local population has been very accepting of the 95% part-time expat owners and we work well together on projects that benefit the community.
Funds raised in this campaign will be spent on the purchase of 400 mosquito traps, shipping costs, instructors’ fees, a year’s worth of the attractant liquid and pellon paper, plus wages for two local employees to maintain the traps for one year, two bicycles for their use, and a computer for record keeping. All of this amounts to about $22,500 US or $56.25 per trap, for the purchase and one year’s maintenance of 400 traps. Any excess funds received will be applied to the following year’s maintenance of the traps.
Plans are to wire transfer the funds from the US to Mexico and dispense from there to the trap builders, suppliers and employees. Half of the 400 traps have already been received and put in place in the villages of Troncones and Majahua. The entire project will be well documented regarding funding and expenditures. This is a sort of “test village” project. If it works in Troncones, it can work elsewhere, all without the use of any chemicals.
Please help us to help these villages reduce the risk of contracting dengue, the Zika virus and chikungunya.
Dewey & Jill McMillin, William Mertz and the Village of Troncones Mexico
We live between Troncones and Majahua, two small villages on the southwest coast of Mexico. Over the last year more than 80% of the people living in these villages contracted either dengue or chikungunya, a dengue-like illness. Both of these are transmitted by the Aedes spp. mosquito, which can also carry the Zika virus.
A Canadian researcher at the Laurentian University, Dr. Gerard Ulibarri, designed a mosquito trap called an “ovillanta.” It consists of two sections of an old car tire, one facing up and the other facing down, plus a small piece of PVC pipe and a valve. The lower section of tire holds water infused with a non-toxic milk based solution (that attracts female Aedes spp. mosquitos) and a strip of paper on which the female lays her eggs.
The fluid is drained from the lower tire via the pipe, filtered to remove any larvae, and returned to the tire, twice a week. The paper strips can stay as long as they remain clean, otherwise they are removed and the eggs are destroyed with fire.
A 10-month test study was done in Guatemala. The “ovillanta” trap proved to attract seven times more mosquitos than standard traps. They are a low-cost, environmentally safe method of seriously reducing the numbers of this type of mosquito that can carry and transmit three very unpleasant and potentially fatal illnesses, including the Zika virus that is garnering press around the world. And it does all this without the use of chemicals.
The “ovillanta” system is estimated to cost only a fraction of what it costs to target adult insects with pesticides. Still the cost of the traps, while relatively inexpensive to Americans or Canadians, is equivalent to at least one, two, or three day’s wages to the people in these villages. In addition, the liquid attractant and paper for the eggs must be replaced regularly.
Rainy season is almost upon this area and we are helping the villagers to implement an abatement program to significantly reduce the population of Aedes spp. mosquitos.
Like many of the North Americans who have homes in the Troncones to Majahua corridor, we spend as much time as we can there and get involved in many of the community projects along with the local residents. The local population has been very accepting of the 95% part-time expat owners and we work well together on projects that benefit the community.
Funds raised in this campaign will be spent on the purchase of 400 mosquito traps, shipping costs, instructors’ fees, a year’s worth of the attractant liquid and pellon paper, plus wages for two local employees to maintain the traps for one year, two bicycles for their use, and a computer for record keeping. All of this amounts to about $22,500 US or $56.25 per trap, for the purchase and one year’s maintenance of 400 traps. Any excess funds received will be applied to the following year’s maintenance of the traps.
Plans are to wire transfer the funds from the US to Mexico and dispense from there to the trap builders, suppliers and employees. Half of the 400 traps have already been received and put in place in the villages of Troncones and Majahua. The entire project will be well documented regarding funding and expenditures. This is a sort of “test village” project. If it works in Troncones, it can work elsewhere, all without the use of any chemicals.
Please help us to help these villages reduce the risk of contracting dengue, the Zika virus and chikungunya.
Dewey & Jill McMillin, William Mertz and the Village of Troncones Mexico
Organisator
William Mertz
Organisator
Burnsville, NC
