TITLE: Baited live-trapping of triatomines in semi-arid environments
AUTHORS: Carezza Botto-Mahan, Antonella Bacigalupo, Viviana Estadella, Berenice Cornejo-Villar, Juana P. Correa, Pedro E. Cattan

[DESCRIPTION]
<div class = "text-blocks"><div class = "text-block">Includes a list of materials, baits, references, and recommended procedures to capture the hematophagous bugs of the subfamily Triatominae, vectors of Chagas disease in semi-arid areas.</div></div>

[STEPS]
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Visually prospect the areas where is intended to collect triatomines, searching for suitable locations to find these insects; for example, rocky outcrops, bromeliads, rock piles, animals burrows, etc.
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Set the traps with adequate bait: in the hot season during the day, yeast is more adequate; in the hot season during the night, dry-ice, mouse, or even yeast could be used, depending on the weather; during the cold season, mouse or dry-ice worked well.
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o	When using yeast as bait, the ingredients are mixed in the trapping device (B). To avoid spillover, it is recommended to add the water once reached the destination point where the trap will be set.o	In the traps that use dry-ice, obtain pieces of approximately 200 g. We use a large knife and a hammer to chop it due to its hardness. Use eye (googles) and hand protection (thick gloves) equipment for cutting and manipulating the pieces.o	The traps using mice (M. musculus) should be provided with wood chips for bedding at the bottom, mouse commercial pellet and a fruit slice as food source, all of which have to be introduced prior to the mouse. The trap has to be located in a place protected of extreme weather conditions (under bushes, trees, rocks or cactuses), ensuring shade during its working hours.
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Once baited, the trap should be located in its final trapping point promptly. Locate the traps in the selected areas, checking that it is positioned straight up, and that some part the upper margin of T is adhered to the selected ecotope. That way, insects do not escape climbing the smooth surfaces of T* (so you have to ensure that T is clean, cause dust can provide support for climbing), and the contact with the ecotope facilitates that the triatomine walks inside the trap.*Some Triatominae, like Rhodnius prolixus may climb even glass walls.
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The traps have to remain activated depending on the maximum activity period of the searched triatomines. In the case of nocturnal insects, the traps can remain activated since sunset until the next morning; in diurnal triatomines, before midday until sunset; however, in the latter there is a risk of overheating of the insects, so the traps should be monitored ideally every 2-3 hours. For diurnal triatomines we have also set the traps on sunset and retrieving them around 12 am - 2 pm, which can be used as protocol when intending to collect both diurnal and nocturnal triatomines.
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When checking the traps, inspect it completely, including the bottom, because sometimes triatomines do not enter the trap but stay in or near it. When triatomines are captured, use entomological forceps to collect the insects, grabbing their legs with the forceps and put them in the plastic jars. Register every data relevant to the survey (trap ID, date, hour, triatomine species, stage, etc.) in the notebook and in the jar (including at least trap ID and date).
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Manage the baits according their nature:o	Discard the remaining mix of yeast to a container, or throw it to the ground.o	The dry-ice would probably have sublimated completely.o	The mice have to be removed from the trap and placed in their respective maintenance cage. Provide plenty of water and food. Protect them from extreme environmental conditions during transport.
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Optional strategy*: to improve the triatomines capture success, a double-sided adhesive tape could be placed on the outside of the trap, particularly near to the bottom of B, so that the triatomines that intend to climb the outer walls of the trap are retained. *Required for capturing Rhodniini.