Kum. Indira Arjun hailing from Trivandrum, Kerala and studying in class V, Kendriya Vidyalaya No II Kalpakkam, Chengalpet, Tamilnadu has attempted to develop a working model of Ovillanta, which is an innovative, cost effective, eco friendly mosquito trap made from used tyres for controlling Aedes population that transmit diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika.
Tyres are chosen as the breeding ground of Aedes mosquitoes. Used car tyres are cut into two halves. Hay infused water is added into the tyre. Filter papers were then placed over the water in the tyre for the mosquitoes to lay their eggs. This filter paper was replaced once in every three days to remove any deposited eggs and larvae and were destroyed using chlorine solution. The number of larvae in ovillanta trap was recorded using a hand lens. A drainpipe is installed to collect the water. The collected water can be reused after filtering the larvae because it contains a pheromone, released by mosquitoes when they lay eggs. Reused water which contains this pheromone attracts other mosquitoes.
This simple device would be a boon for the community in controlling the Aedes population. As the traps are very cost-effective, simple and were made from unused waste products, Healthy services department can readily adopt the method for vector management with the participation of community
The video is uploaded in the youtube channel “BIOLOGY STUDY CLASS” of Smt. Rani Chandran (Grandmother), Rtd. PGT Biology, Kendriya Vidyalaya AFS Akkulam, Trivandrum.
Youtube video : https://youtu.be/5a3TJHEKLqY
