The document summarizes a study that used UV/CO2 traps in an attempt to capture Triatoma sanguisuga, the vector of Chagas disease, in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Traps were placed near potential mammalian hosts and had electricity access. Although no T. sanguisuga were captured, one Reduviid bug and many mosquitoes were collected, including disease vectors like Culex and Aedes. While the traps were ineffective for T. sanguisuga, continued monitoring or targeting established infestations may have been more successful.

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Dynatrap DT150 UV/CO2 insect traps were placed in a
rural agricultural area in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
Sites were selected based on proximity to potential
mammalian hosts as well as access to electricity. These
traps were chosen based on the combination of UV light
and CO2 emitted in order to lure T. sanguisuga, which
has been shown to be attracted to both of these stimuli.
Acknowledgements
Contact Information
Conclusions
References
Triatoma sanguisuga (Leconte) is a species of Reduviid
bug in the order Hemiptera that resides in the southern
United States. The common names include kissing bug
and blood-sucking conenose bug. Kissing bugs molt
several times before reaching adulthood and each molt
is preceded by a blood meal (1).
Materials and Methods
The Evaluation of a Collection Method and Survey of
Triatoma sanguisuga (the Vector for Chagas disease)
and Other Insect Vectors
Lauren S. Hanberry and Anthony L. Newsome
Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132
This project was made possible by mentoring under PhD
Candidate Jeannie M. Stubblefield and the generous
funding of a Silver Scholar Undergraduate Research
Experience and Creative Activity (URECA) grant through
The Undergraduate Research Center at Middle
Tennessee State University.
Middle Tennessee State University
Biology Department
1301 E. Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Lauren S. Hanberry
Anthony L. Newsome
lst2f@mtmail.mtsu
anthony.newsome@mtsu.edu
Figure 3. Ecological Niche Modeling for the Chagas Disease Vector
Photo credit: http://earthzine.org/2013/11/17/ecological-niche-modeling-for-the-chagas-disease-
vector/
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/
2. Triplehorn, Charles A. and Johnson, Norman F.
Borror and Delong’s Introduction to the Study of
Insects, 7th Edition. Brooks/Cole Cengate
Learning, 2005.
All figures provided by author unless indicated.
While these UV/CO2 traps were ineffective at luring and
capturing Triatoma sanguisuga during the course of this
research project, it is possible that continued monitoring
throughout the summer or placement in areas with
established infestations may have produced specimens.
One specimen of another species of Reduviid was
captured, demonstrating that Triatomines may indeed
be attracted to this type of trap, and other factors could
have led to the lack of successful collection.
Several other orders of insects and arachnids were
captured incidentally, including many that were
unexpected, and these traps could be effective for
general surveys of arthropods.
In addition, these light traps were successful in
attracting several species of mosquito and could be
used in future field studies to capture and test species
of medical significance. PCR blood analysis would
reveal host origin of blood meals as well as infection
with various arboviruses and parasites affecting
humans and animals, such as heartworm (Dirofilaria
immitis), West Nile virus (WNV), Chikungunya, Eastern
equine encephalitis (EEE), La Crosse virus (LAC), St.
Louis encephalitis (SLE), Dengue, and Yellow Fever.
Introduction
Figure 1. Triatoma sanguisuga
Photo credit: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/
Figure 4. Trypanosoma cruzi life cycle
Photo credit: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/biology.html
Figures 6-13. Placement of UV/CO2 traps.
Kissing bugs feed on blood from vertebrate hosts,
including humans. This creates risk of transmission of
the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes
American Trypanomiasis, also known as Chagas
Disease. Consequently, T. sanguisuga a vector of
medical significance (1).
In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of
combination electric UV/CO2 traps to capture specimens
of Triatoma sanguisuga in order to conduct a survey of a
specific agricultural area in Rutherford County,
Tennessee. Specimens were to be preserved for PCR
analysis of blood means and infection with T. cruzi.
Trap 1 was placed on the ground in a reserve field only
occasionally used to house the Angus cow and calf herd
and was within 100 yards of a single-family home.
Traps 2-5 were placed at the dairy unit. Trap 2 was
placed on the floor inside the milking parlor of the dairy
unit where floors were washed regularly but there was
still access to the outdoors. Trap 3 was placed on
concrete outside the dairy unit in a fenced maintenance
area. Trap 4 was placed on a door handle outside the
holding pen area where cows awaited milking – this trap
ceased to function . Trap 5 was placed in the area of
chutes between the holding pen and milking parlor – this
trap replaced another trap destroyed early in the study
before any samples could be collected. Traps 6-8 were
placed in the calf barn, down the hill from the dairy unit.
Trap 6 was placed just inside the door to the barn, hung
near the floor on a nail. Trap 7 was placed on a concrete
brick wall behind refrigeration units. Trap 8 was hung on
a nail on a fence. With exception of Trap 1, all traps
were placed in areas also lit by artificial lighting.
These traps were checked approximately twice a week
during the course of the study and the contents of the
trap were emptied into resealable plastic bags and
labeled with date, trap number, and location. The
specimen bags were then taken to the MTSU Science
Building where they were stored in a freezer unit to
humanely euthanize the living arthropods and to
preserve any possible blood meals from parasitic
species.
Following the conclusion of spring semester, these
specimen bags were removed from the freezer so all
insects and arachnids could be sorted, identified to
family(2), and counted. If the number of non-vector
specimens in a sample was too numerous, an
approximate number was recorded.
Trap Number/
Date
Number of
specimens
Trap Number/
Date
Number of
specimens
Trap 2 – 3/3/15 6 Trap 2 – 4/23/15 32
Trap 5 – 3/3/15 2 Trap 3 – 4/23/15 16
Trap 7 – 3/3/15 2 Trap 5 – 4/23/15 5
Trap 6 – 4/3/15 12 Trap 6 – 4/23/15 62
Trap 7 – 4/3/15 1 Trap 8 - 4/23/15 2
Trap 3 – 4/7/15 8 Trap 2 – 4/28/15 5
Trap 4 – 4/7/15 2 Trap 3 – 4/28/15 28
Trap 5 – 4/7/15 2 Trap 5 – 4/28/15 15
Trap 6 – 4/7/15 23 Trap 6 – 4/28/15 41
Trap 7 – 4/7/15 2 Trap 2 – 5/5/15 14
Trap 8 – 4/7/15 5 Trap 3 – 5/5/15 17
Trap 3 – 4/9/15 4 Trap 5 – 5/5/15 15
Trap 4 – 4/9/15 11 Trap 6 – 5/5/15 107
Trap 7 – 4/9/15 7 Trap 8 – 5/5/15 2
Trap 8 – 4/9/15 2 Total collected: 450
Figure 2: Triatoma sanguisuga life cycle
Photo credit: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/index.html
Unfortunately no specimens of Triatoma sanguisuga were
recovered from any traps over the course of the collection
process, but thousands of other specimens were
successfully collected, including one species of Reduviid.
Although we were unable to collect T. sanguisuga, we
were successful in recovering several species of
mosquito (Culicidae), primarily genera Culex and Aedes.
These specimens were preserved for future research
studies, including PCR analysis of blood meals.
Mosquitoes are vectors for several medically significant
human arboviruses, such as West Nile virus (WNV),
Chikungunya, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), La
Crosse virus (LAC), St. Louis encephalitis (SLE),
Dengue, and Yellow Fever.
Figure 5. Map of Study Area – red stars indicate areas of trap placement
Photo credit: Google Earth Results
Table 1: Mosquitoes (Culicidae) collected
Table 2: Diversity of Orders and Families of Insects and Arachnids found
Order Family Order Family
Diptera
Culicidae
Hymenoptera
Ichneumonidae
Mycetophelidae Formicidae
Tipulidae Brachionidae
Chironomidae Apidae
Muscidae
Hemiptera
Reduviidae
Psychodidae Anthocoridae
Heleomyzidae Psyllidae
Scatopsidae Miridae
Anisopodidae Cicadellidae
Simuliidae Aphrophoridae
Faniidae Aphidae
Bibionidae
Trichoptera
Polycentropidae
Piophilidae Limnephilidae
Cecidomyiidae Psychomyiidae
Sphaeroceridae Lepidostomatidae
Chamaemyiidae
Collembola
Isotomidae
Empididae Entomobryidae
Dryomyzidae
Lepidoptera
Noctuidae
Calliphoridae Arctiidae
Lonchaedidae Geometridae
Sciomyzidae Pterophoridae
Dolichopodidae Douglasiidae
Phoridae Tischeriidae
Ephydridae Bedellidae
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae Elachstidae
Dermestidae Cosmopterigidae
Stapylinidae Lacturidae
Chrysomelidae Blattodea Blattidae
Ciidae Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae
Trogidae
Araneae
Salticidae
Phalacridae Clubionidae
Tenbrionidae Theridiidae
Coccinellidae Gnaphosidae
Carabidae Linyphiidae
Histeridae Dysderidae
Nititulidae Acari Acariformes
Cantharidae
Silphidae
Mycetophagidae
Curculionidae
Lampyridae
Elateridae
Bostrichidae
Figure 14. Culex pipiens and Aedes vexans
Photo credit: Northwestern Mosquito Abatement District / AP