Project:

How different wavelengths of light affects the attraction of mosquitoes

Students:

Marissa McDougall, Krish Patel, Thomas Mills

School:

Connetquot HS, Suffolk

Mentors:

John Halloran

Abstract:

We are conducting an experiment on the attraction of different species of mosquitoes to different wavelengths of light. The purpose of this experiment is to find the most efficient wavelength of light in attracting mosquitoes away from humans while protecting beneficial species of insects. We will be using DNA Barcoding as the technique to confirm the identity of mosquitoes and insects caught and extrapolate to which species are attracted to a particular wavelength. With the increased use of LED lights in recent years, color control is much easier and there are more options. This is helpful in mosquito trapping because there are a variety of colors to be used and we can experiment to find specific colors that increase attraction to traps. Unfortunately, a possible drawback of collecting mosquitoes using light traps is the inadvertent trapping of beneficial organisms. We hope to explore this possibility by setting up light traps with different LED lights up near a mosquito trap and exam

Poster:

Team samples: