By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Citing the municipality of La Trinidad which has the highest recorded dengue cases in the Cordillera region, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Benguet Provincial Science and Technology Center Director Arnold Inumpa suggests the further utilization of the Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap (OL trap) to control the population of the dengue-carrying Aedes mosquitoes.

Inumpa said that the OL trap is developed as part of the government’s effort in addressing the rising cases of dengue especially this rainy season.

According to Inumpa, the OL traps retards the growth of the larvae. He said, by the use of this, 90% of the larvae trapped will not prosper into mosquito. This he said will curb the development of Aedes mosquitoes population.

An OL trap has three parts according to Inumpa; the black container, a small strip of lawanit wood measuring 1 inch by 6.5 inches where mosquitoes will lay eggs on and a larvicide solution.

To use the OL trap he said first put 250 milliliters of tap water into the black container, pour one sachet of OL pellets on the water for the larvicide solution and then put the lawanit stick with the rough surface facing up.

He added that the OL trap should be placed in a low lying area and should be protected from sunlight and rainfall. He said let the OL trap stand for six days and make sure that the surroundings of the container is clean so that the mosquitoes will lay their eggs on the trap only. After six days he said, gently brush off into the solution the mosquito eggs stuck on the lawanit strip and pour boiling water into the container and dispose the contents on dry ground.

He said the OL trap is very affordable and only the larvicide pellet would be bought because the other two materials can be improvised. He said a sachet of pellets costs P1 only.

However he said, the pellets are not yet available in Benguet. Mass selling of this kind he added is available only in the province of Bulacan. But he said they are looking for ways to make the solution available to the people of La Trinidad and other parts of the region. # nordis.net