Abstract:
A trap may include structure which provides the attraction of mosquitoes to breeding water and provides a variety of destruction mechanisms, including drying, drowning, heat, and ultrasonic killing mechanism and method for larvae, and a quick suction killing mechanism and method for adult mosquitoes. Other mechanisms, ancillary structures and additional action can be employed with any of the mechanisms singly, or a pair of the mechanisms along with a double acting trap to help kill adult mosquitoes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to improvements in appliances which improve the living spaces for people, and more particularly to a trap for luring and killing mosquitoes and in which the efficacy is demonstrated to the user.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Mosquitoes have plagued humans with their bite and associated disease for centuries. Mosquitoes have recently become a focus of increasing concern because of the West Nile Virus. Although large-scale efforts have been employed to attempt to reduce populations for the public, not much has been done to try to reduce the populations which may thrive in and around habitations. Many products have tried to repel the mosquito whilst others try to lure it into a trap. Of the latter types of traps, most use forms of UV light, pheromones, carbon dioxide, water vapor and heat. Most of these active traps work only with adult mosquitoes and because they deal with the flying adult mosquito, involve some form of energy or output which is annoying to humans.  
         [0003]     It is generally thought that the only worthwhile attractant for a mosquito is carbon dioxide. This is because a female mosquito needs a host from which to suck blood, and uses carbon dioxide to help it locate its host. However, the main reason for a mosquito to feed is to enable it to create a batch of eggs. These eggs must then be laid in water, without it, there is no effective continuation of the mosquito life cycle. The mosquito must possesses an ability to track down sources of water in which to lay their eggs, and this need can be exploited. Note that it is possible for a female mosquito to lay eggs without having consumed a blood meal, however the quantity of eggs will be low.  
         [0004]     In many countries, the health service asks the population to empty all containers of standing water to attempt to break the life cycle by stopping egg laying and preventing new mosquitoes from developing. Covering large areas can be expensive and the elements of nature tend to blunt any attempt at controlling wide areas exposed to the sun and rain.  
         [0005]     Even on a small scale, any trap which attracts and kills mosquitoes within a defined living space which has limited entry for mosquitoes can be highly effective in reducing or eliminating mosquito bites in humans. Further, any trap which kills mosquitoes before they can reproduce or hatch will have at least some effectiveness even in an open area.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The trap may include structure which provides the attraction of mosquitoes to breeding water and provides a variety of destruction mechanisms. Many of the mechanisms can be used in combination with each other or singly. The trap preferably includes a seemingly stagnant pool of water, but includes both a drying, drowning, heat, and ultrasonic killing mechanism and method for larvae, and a quick suction killing mechanism and method for adult mosquitoes. Other mechanisms, ancillary structures and additional action can be employed with any of the mechanisms singly, or a pair of the mechanisms along with a double acting trap to help kill adult mosquitoes.  
         [0007]     Female mosquitoes with fertilized eggs, as well as adult male mosquitoes are lured to the trap. Fertile females who lay eggs will either be killed before or shortly after laying their eggs have their eggs, and their offspring or eggs will be killed.  
         [0008]     An air sweep mechanism is used to kill adult mosquitoes of both sexes. A lured male or a lured a female biting mosquito about to lay eggs will be allowed to settle at a container&#39;s edge of a and start laying its eggs. A sudden gust of air will then draw the mosquito through into an isolation chamber where it will die. An intermittent sucking or directed blowing action provides sufficient stillness to enable mosquitoes to be enticed into a position for capture. The intermittent stillness (1) eliminates fans or electrical sounds during the attraction process, (2) permits sufficient still air gradient to attract mosquitoes based upon moisture or other air borne component, and (3) assists in transmitting the moisture or other air borne component more widely.  
         [0009]     Mosquito eggs and larvae are also independently trapped and killed. If the female manages to lay any eggs before being sucked or blown into an isolation chamber, these eggs would be either (1) killed in solution, (2) allowed to hatch and then either suffocate or drown. Suffocation can be accomplished by not allowing the hatching mosquito access to enough air to live. Drowning can be accomplished by providing no upper surface through which the mosquito can dry out and begin to breathe.  
         [0010]     In addition, other agents can be used, especially those which are not perceptible to adult mosquitoes, such as surfactants which either cause the adult to become wetted and drown and/or which will not allow the larvae to dry sufficiently to enable them to breathe above water. Further, other killing agents can be introduced. Chemical agents can be introduced to attack the larvae. The chemical agent can be restricted to a lower area through use of a higher density gel or other segregatory mechanism. The larvae usually develop at or near the bottom of standing water. Any segregated chemical agent would not be apparent to the egg laying adult, but the larvae would come into contact with the chemical at the bottom of the water volume. Methods to insure segregation include the bonding of the harmful chemical component to a polymer which would remain segregated from the water&#39;s upper volume and surface.  
         [0011]     Another possibility is a biological agent which infects or feeds on the mosquito larvae. Such a system contemplates an agent that can itself survive long periods in an aquatic environment. Such a system can be used in combination with the swept air capture method in order to kill adult mosquitoes and prevent further laying. Drying is yet another technique. If the larvae are hatched to the wriggling stage, they can be physically removed from the aquatic environment by use of a mechanical system which can range from a conveyer belt to a rotating drum and more. Physical removal will ultimately cause drying of the larvae which will cause death.  
         [0012]     The simplest realization for the invention, which enables the simplest mechanism as a turning action, includes a hemispherical bowl about 500 mm diameter. The bowl is be divided into about six compartments with removable radial walls that are meshed and or slotted to allow the free flow of water but small enough to trap and filter mosquito larvae. The container is preferably mounted on an angled axis so that when the bowl is filled with water, only half the compartments contain water, while the other half are above water and dry. This compartmental sieve is then made to rotate extremely slowly so as to achieve one turn about every eight days. Turning can be accomplished by using an intermittent solenoid to advance the rotation by ratchet action, a geared-down mechanism, or similar. Even absent any other actions or the presence of other chemicals, surfactants or agents, any eggs laid in the water section will be wet for up to four days, only long enough to hatch into wriggling larvae.  
         [0013]     As the sieve rotates, each compartment slowly leaves the water, crowding and concentrating any larvae present into an ever decreasing volume until the small volume of larvae is finally removed from the water. The larvae then dry out over the next four days.  
         [0014]     Above this main container, the isolation chamber would be preferably mounted. The isolation chamber would be prefaced by a suction mechanism such as a venturi, a fan with a fast acting motor, or bellows. The isolation chamber would serve as a repository for anything sucked up or blown into the isolation chamber. The cover of the isolation chamber is also of hemispherical in shape to direct the air and entrained mosquitoes.  
         [0015]     Further, structures can be utilized to further shade the liquid in the container, or to, catch any rainwater or hose pipe water and divert it into the bowl. In this instance, a spillway would be available to prevent overfilling. The structure can also house any electronics utilized to control the turning of the subdivided filter. Temperature sensors can control the rate of turn depending upon ambient temperature, turning slightly faster during hot, arid conditions, and slower in cooler wetter conditions. An optional lens material in the upper housing can be used both to focus ambient light into the dry portion of the chambers, as well as to give an expanded look at its contents.  
         [0016]     Power source can include housing alternating current mains, or batteries or a transformer connection to the alternating current mains for greater flexibility. Because of the low energy usage, the unit could be operated using solar cells. However the best position for the trap would be in the shade (where mosquitoes typically seek a volume of water that will last long enough to hatch their brood. Any solar panel would preferably be an auxiliary solar panel located remotely from the trap, such as on a raised post.  
         [0017]     Maintenance involves only occasional topping up of water and flushing out of the bowl, if required at all. If the water evaporates, the aquatic side of the trap will become ineffective until the next filling. Period washing of the mesh partitions may be preferably although given the time of operation, only if the dividers were completely clogged with a water impermeable matter would the larvae fail to drain and dry. If the trap is placed within an automatic irrigation zone then it could be left to operate without maintenance at the beginning of each season.  
         [0018]     The exterior of the trap housing could be made in a variety of fanciful shapes and sizes. The shapes could be made to match the inside decor, or made of fanciful shapes for the outer living areas. Evaporation of water can be mitigated by additional reservoirs and automated replenishment systems. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The invention, its configuration, construction, and operation will be best further described in the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a side sectional view of a first embodiment of the trap of the invention, combining a turning sieve and over mounted with an air capture system;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a front view, taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1  and illustrating the components and their availability to the exterior of the trap;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of a second embodiment of the trap of the invention, combining a turning over housing having a capture housing balanced opposite a laying chamber, with a fan mounted at the center; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the trap seen in  FIG. 3  or similar and illustrates a cover and expanded photo electric cell placement for extended periods of unattended service. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]     The first embodiment of the invention illustrates the principle of killing larvae by drying, and a description is best begun with reference to  FIG. 1 . In the drying method, any mosquito egg rafts which are laid in a defined volume of water are automatically filtered out slowly over time to kill any larvae present by drying. The overall geometry of a trap  11  illustrated is spherical, but any geometry which permits energy efficient turning is acceptable. A housing  13  supports a bowl which is hemispherically shaped. The bowl  15  is supported on a shaft  17  and is motorized slowly to rotate about the shaft  17  every few days. The bowl  15  is divided into segments by a series of mesh or screen  19  walls which permit water to move freely from segment to segment, but which will hold all solid matter larger than the screen within the segment.  
         [0025]     As the bowl  15  turns over a period of days, any mosquito larvae within a small body of water  21  at the bottom of the tilted bowl will have been raised out of the body of water  21 , drained and then slowly pass over the shaft  17  for a sufficiently long time that death will result. After death, the larval body may simply be cycled back into the body of water  21 . An opening  23  is large enough to admit mosquitoes  25 , especially seeking to lay eggs int he body of water  21 . The opening  23  may be large enough to admit birds who might feed upon the mosquito carrion, and any other biological material which might be present.  
         [0026]     Even though the mechanism is shown as a bowl  15  having a tilted rotational axis, other geometries are possible for affecting the main objective, namely that the larvae are lifted from a volume of water and then dried. Another important preferred aspect of any geometry is that mosquitoes should not have any access to any part of the water volume which cannot be filtered.  
         [0027]     A close fitting lip  27  is shown, extending horizontally across the bottom of the opening  23  to prevent significant “mosquito access” exposure of any part of the surface of the body of water  21  which is not subject to having its contents filtered. In other words, the mosquito  25  should be prevented from laying eggs in the body of water  21  which lies outside the filtration action of the screen  19 . In the drawing shown, this may be accomplished by supporting the body of water  21  wholly within the bowl  15  or by providing an expanded body of water  21 . Where the body of water  21  is isolated within the bowl  15 , it can more easily become depleted via evaporation. Further, even where the screen  19  is made of hydrophobic material, and even where the bowl  15  turns slowly to enable the surface tension of the water time to withdraw to itself, the mass being strained may still likely act to remove significant of material which in turn carries significant amounts of water with it. This will create more evaporation than simply the water entrained within the bodies being filtered. This can be even more severe where other structures are provided to ensure that evaporation is had more quickly as by heating (by light absorption) and venting.  
         [0028]     The key to providing a constant and adequate liquid level in simple terms is the provision of an expanded supply. A reservoir  29  is connected though a tube  31  in communication through the housing  13 . Where a gravity system is used, a water level  33  in the reservoir  29  will be at the same level as a water level  35  within the housing  13 . As can be seen, the close fitting lip  27  serves as an upper limit to the level of the water level  35 . In fact, it can serve as a spillway should the reservoir  29  be overfilled, or should the reservoir  29  or some other structure be utilized to catch rain water and re-charge both the water level  35  inside the trap  13  and the water level  33  inside the reservoir.  
         [0029]     Preferably, the structures beneath the close fitting lip  27  will not collect any spillage and will not provide any structure or opportunity for larvae to develop. Further, the reservoir  29  preferably has a cover  37  fitted with some opening, either an aperture  39  or some fritted glass filter or screen to enable displacement air to enter the reservoir  29  without enabling mosquitoes to lay eggs within the reservoir  29 .  
         [0030]     A motor  41  is mounted preferably so as to remain above the water level and to advance the rotation of the bowl  15  very slowly about the shaft  17 . The motor  41  can be a stepper motor or a geared continuous motor. In the case where motor  41  is a stepper motor and where the bowl  15  is fitted with 1080 teeth, for example, a rotation of once per eight days would equal the activation of one ratchet gear about every 10 minutes. A fractional second upset movement of ⅓ of a degree followed by 10 minutes of stillness would not provide a significant upset to adult mosquitoes seeking the body of water  21 .  
         [0031]     Over the opening  23 , are located other structures with due accommodation for the shaft  17  and other structures. An inlet duct  43  has an open end  45  closely adjacent the forward edge of bowl  15 . This is for the purpose of close placement, but without blocking the rotation of the bowl  15 . The duct  43  leads through a flexible flap opening  47  and into a main capture chamber  49 . The main capture chamber  49  includes a mesh surface  51  in fluid communication with an impulse fan  53 . The inlet of the impulse fan  53  is located adjacent the mesh surface  51  so that the inlet can draw air through the mesh surface  51  over a wide area. An exhaust duct  55  leads to an exhaust port  57  which is preferably arranged to cover and protect against the inlet of moisture.  
         [0032]     Both the motor  41  and the fan  53  may preferably be powered either wholly or partially by photo electric cells  54  mounted to receive light impinging upon the housing  13 . Power storage can be by re-chargeable battery or by capacitor. Because of the size of the trap  11 , a series of series and parallel connected capacitors can be utilized to store energy from solar cells and yet discharge the energy at a higher voltage.  
         [0033]     The manner in which the impulse fan  53  is triggered may be one or a combination many methods. A timer may be used to trigger the fan  53  at intermittent times. A microprocessor may accept inputs from the solar cell  54  in order to gauge the hours of daylight and dark and adjust the timing of triggering based upon the time of day or surrounding ambient conditions in which it is expected that more mosquitoes may be present.  
         [0034]     Other sensors can be employed, including sound, motion, and ambient light interference, as well as motion on the surface of the water level  35 . An absolute time difference between triggerings of the fan  53  could be used to prevent excessive triggering or to prevent triggering should an initiating component become fouled or broken. The program can change based upon a different hierarchy of inputs for each set of conditions or temporal onset of conditions.  
         [0035]     In the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , a mosquito  25  which enters the opening  23  and alights on the surface  35  of the body of water  21  may be sucked into the open end  45  of the inlet duct  43  and be deposited within the main capture chamber  49 . The overall shape of the inlet duct  43  may be preferably dictated by the overall configuration and pathways within a trap  11 . It is preferable to create an air path which will easily gain momentum quickly and which will reduce obstructionist flow paths which would interfere with good facilitated flow of the mosquito  25  into the capture chamber  49 .  
         [0036]     It is reminded that  FIG. 1  is shown in sectional view and that the bowl  15  can be subdivided either broadly or narrowly to determine the effective width of space between two adjacent screens  19  which will face the open end  45  of the inlet duct  43 . The bowl  15  could range between having three divider screens  19  and up to  18  divider screens  19 . A larger number of divider screens  19  reduces the effective width between the screens  19 . The degree of fineness and thickness of the screen  19  material will determine the degree to which flowing air will bleed into spaces between adjacent screens. Since the turning of the bowl  15  occurs so slowly, having a thick or fine mesh screen  19  will not be an impediment to drainage. Assuming that the material of the screen is sufficiently hydrophobic, even a thick screen  19  should not entrain any water. An upper retaining wall  59  is seen, which may be somewhat continuous with a restrictive side wall  61  which is only partially seen in  FIG. 1  due to the section line of view.  
         [0037]     The number of spaces between the screens  19 , or the total width opening of the body of water  21  will ideally be limited so that a smaller amount of energy will be required to produce a given velocity of air. On average, where the radial aperture or width of the open space or open end  45  (if the same size) is the same as the space between adjacent ones of the screens  19 , two of the spaces will be open at any given time. As a result, the air flow needed should be computed based both upon the effective open area, as well as the flow which will occur when a divider screen  19  is near the center of an effective open space.  
         [0038]     As an alternative to level gravitational flow between the reservoir  29  and the inside of the housing  13 , a flow restrictor could be placed between the reservoir  29  and the opening of the tube  31  into the housing  13 . The restrictor should be chosen with due consideration for water purity, fouling and the growth of algae and other fouling components. A micro valve or other device may foul. In the alternative, a wicking device could be used. In a further alternative, a device could be set to admit additional water based upon the turning progress of the bowl  15 .  
         [0039]     At the rear of the trap  11  is seen an optional light transmissive transparent section  61  for admitting light into the housing  13  and to heat the bowl  15 . Where the bowl  15  is made of transparent material, light will have the possibility of directly impinging any debris or mass within the upper part of the bowl  15 . Where a user has the chance to place the trap  11  in a sunny area, a more rapid and complete heating will lead to a more severe drying. The presence of a body of water  21 , coupled with the lack of openness of the bowl  15  will promote some re-capture of the leaving moisture by condensation.  
         [0040]     An optional piezoelectric transducer  63  is seen in communication with the body of water  21 . Transducer  63  will typcially utilize a significant amount of energy and may not be energy compatible for long periods of unattended service without either an energy storage device of significant capacity or not without powered connection to an alternating current mains. Optional piezoelectric transducer  63  is used to turn the body of water  21  into an ultrasonic bath, to kill all mosquito larvae present.  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a frontal view of the trap  11  from a lower perspective looking up, better illustrates the presence of restrictive side walls  71  which form an angular opening  73 , through which is seen bowl  15  and one of the radially extending screens  15 . Shaft  17  is seen in dashed line format and angling downwardly into the bowl  15 . As can be seen, the inlet duct  43  occupies about half of the effective opening of the bowl  15  between the restrictive side walls  71 . A single screen  19  divider is seen to illustrate a typical position of the bowl  19 . Where the opening  73  is set to same size as the width of the space between two screens  19 , there will on average be two such interspaces available at the opening  73  at any given time except when the space between the two screens  19  is perfectly aligned with the opening  73 .  
         [0042]     This geometry, and any others employed will set the necessary cross section of the duct  43  and the volume of air needed to sweep the available chamber. A narrower opening  73  will require less air flow to achieve the same velocity, but will require more divider screens  19 . Also shown in  FIG. 2 , a lower extent  75  of the main capture chamber  49  is provided so that the user has greater ease of access to the open portion of the trap  11 . A drawer  77  is provided so that users can empty the contents of the main capture chamber. Note also that because of the restrictive side walls  71  and the fairly close tolerancing of the space between the bowl  15 , along with a special compartment for the motor  41 , in effect seals the chambers between the screen  19  dividers when they are not in at least partial view of the angular opening  73 . The opens the possibility that in addition to drying, the rate of turn of the bowl  15  could be such that any newly hatched mosquitoes die from lack of nutrients before the chamber again presents itself at the angular opening.  
         [0043]     As has been seen, the structures employed in the trap  11  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  include suction capture of adult mosquitoes, water removal from and drying of larvae, and isolation and possible starvation of any larvae which might be able to hatch before drying.  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a trap  101  is designed to provide suction capture of adult mosquitoes, and isolation and drowning of developing larvae. Trap  101  includes a container  103  having a series of dividers  105  surrounding an optional center support  107  for supporting an over housing  109 . Beginning at the left side of  FIG. 3 , over housing  109  preferably includes a capture chamber  111  which may be constructed of hollow plastic with a series of filtration slots  113 . In the alternative, a mesh screen  115  may be provided. In either event, the filtration slots  113  and the mesh screen  115  is provided in sufficient number or area to enable a blast of air to be forced into and escape from the capture chamber, while entraining any adult mosquitoes  25 . Further, the design of the capture chamber  111  should be such that it will continue to function even when significant numbers of mosquitoes  25  are present. An optional flexible capture flap  117  is shown which will spring open as air is being forced into the capture chamber  111  and will naturally close when the flow of air stops so that the mosquitoes  25  do not escape.  
         [0045]     The over housing  109  preferably has a center motor support portion  121  which will preferably house a motor  123  connected to a fan  125  and which may be optionally connected to a stepper motor  127  which may engage a ratchet or gear face supported by the top of the optional center support  107 . A stepper motor will enable the over housing  109  to slowly rotate on the optional center support  107 . Where no center support  107  is present, other structures can be utilized to cause the over housing  109  to turn. An optional solar cell  129  may be provided either on the center motor support portion  121  or other extended areas to derive power from solar light.  
         [0046]     At the right side of  FIG. 3 , over housing  109  includes an isolation cup  131  is shown extending down into a volume of water  133  having a top surface  135 . The top surface  135  is also seen inside the cup&#39;s laying chamber  137 . In air communication with the laying chamber  137  is an airway section  139  leading to the area of the center motor support portion  121  and the fan  125 .  
         [0047]     The geometry seen in  FIG. 3  combines the adult insect capture mechanism with larvae isolation. Regardless of the position of the over housing  109 , any adults which alight on the top surface  135  of the volume of water  133  within the capture chamber is subject to being sucked through the airway section  139  by the motor  123  and fan  125 , and into the capture housing  111 . As before, the triggering event for activating the adult mosquito capture, of periodic trigger of the motor  123  can include the same triggers as was the case for impulse fan  53 .  
         [0048]     As was the case for trap  11 , trap  101  must isolate the top surface  135  which is not within the boundary of the isolation cup  101  to prevent untrammeled competitive access of the top surface outside of the isolation cup  101  to both laying and the alighting of mosquitoes  25  because they cannot be captured in those areas and larvae would hatch, develop and leave normally. Isolation of the top surface  135  can be achieved by either providing a close fit cover to enclose and overlie all areas not within the isolation cup  131 , or by providing a layer of material which is lighter than water but which blocks access to the water, or by providing a surfactant over areas outside of the isolation cup  131  so that any mosquitoes which alight will become wetted and drown.  
         [0049]     A surfactant will also act to kill larvae which hatch and attempt to escape the surface. A combination of all three methods may be preferred as some surfactants may lose effectiveness over time, some overlying materials may be lost through evaporation, and providing too close of a fit with an over layer may prevent the turning of the over housing  109 .  
         [0050]     Assuming that some over coverage can be achieved, either chemically or by providing an over layer, mosquito eggs deposited in the isolation cup  131  before being drawn into the capture housing  111  will fall into spaces between the radially arranged dividers  105 . Where the over housing  109  can be made to turn slowly, perhaps one revolution per 20-25 days, the larvae will develop and rise to the top surface  135  outside of the isolation cup  131 . The areas of the top surface  135  outside the isolation cup  131  will be preferably covered completely either mechanically or chemically, and the mosquitoes cannot escape. It is preferable for any physical barrier to lie at or below the top surface  135  to insure drowning and to help prevent evaporation. A series of mechanical layers may be employed.  
         [0051]     Shown are a series of optional thin plastic layers including an upper layer  151 , a second layer  153 , a third layer  155  and a fourth layer  157 . The use of multiple layers  151 ,  153 ,  155  and  157  could be used for enhanced structural integrity. The layers  151 ,  153 ,  155  and  157  could also be arranged to trap any rising larvae at the time of hatching. One or more vertically extending members  159  could be used between the layers  151 ,  153 ,  155  and  157  for stability. As can be seen, an optional piezoelectric transducer  63  is also present, as was the case for trap  11 .  
         [0052]     It is possible also to combine the selection of materials and components of the over housing  109  so that it floats atop the top surface  135 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , a top view of such a configuration is seen as a trap  171 . The container  103  is the same as for trap  101 . A stepper motor  173  is arranged to depend from the capture housing  111  and includes a protruding drive wheel  175  which engages the inside wall of the container  103 . A pair of other contact wheels  177  and  179  form a triangular arrangement with protruding drive wheel  175 .  
         [0053]     The gap seen between an outer extent of an over housing  181  and the inside wall of the container  103  is exaggerated to show the interaction of the contact wheels, with the inside wall of the container  103 . The other structures seen in  FIG. 4  are generally identical to those seen in  FIG. 3 , and may be provided as a laying chamber  137 , airway section  139 , and at least the upper layer  151 . The trap  171  provides an isolated top surface  135  of accessible water, and an expanded area solar cell  185 . In the configuration shown, the container  103  can be provided as a deep container and the trap  171  can operate for an extended period of time. As water evaporates in a limited manner from the laying chamber  137 , the over housing  181  will become lowered within the container  103 .  
         [0054]     The advantages of this configuration are (1) an almost frictionless relationship between the over housing  181  and the water and/or container  103  will enable movement to be accomplished with an extremely small no energy input, (2) the surface area of water available for evaporation is small, and (3) the trap  171  can operate for extended periods with no maintenance. Again, an automatic or external provision can be made to replenish the volume of water  133 . In the configuration seen in  FIG. 4 , the container  103  cannot be overfilled, and any excess water would simply pour over the side of the container  103  or be directed away using an upper drain. A funnel type rain collector could be used in conjunction with a directed spill off structure to provide continued operations for an almost indefinite period.  
         [0055]     While the present invention has been described in terms of a mosquito trap, &amp; more particularly to a multi active mosquito trap which traps and kills adults and larvae using a variety of combinational methods and physical configurations, the mechanisms disclosed can be applied to other devices.  
         [0056]     Although the invention has been derived with reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, included within the patent warranted hereon are all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of this contribution to the art.