The BG-Sentinel® (BGS) trap is considered "the gold standard" for Aedes albopictus surveillance. With the risk of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in the USA, it is imperative our best surveillance asset is as dependable and cost-effective as possible. Biogents AG (Regensburg, Germany) in recent years has manufactured 3 generations of BGS traps in an effort to optimize trapping performance of invasive Aedes species. We evaluated the field efficacy of BG-Sentinel 2 prototype (BGS2P), BG-Sentinel (BGS1), and BG-Sentinel 2® (BGS2). The field experiment was conducted between July 1 and September 21, 2016, on the outskirts of an abandoned industrial area in the city of Trenton, NJ (40°13'58.0″N, 74°44'21.6″W). All 3 traps were compared with 3-compound BG cartridge lures. There was no significant difference in total Ae. albopictus collections among BGS1 and BGS2. However, the number of Ae. albopictus collected from the BGS2P was significantly lower than BGS1 (P = 0.016) and BGS2 (P = 0.025). Our results indicate BGS2, encompassing the latest technology aimed with improved durability and efficacy, will yield the highest capture rates of adult Ae. albopictus mosquitoes.
Keywords: BG-Sentinel; New Jersey; prototype.