Patent ID: 8181384

Claim:
A device for interrupting the gestation cycle of mosquitoes consisting of: a substantially waterproof and leak-proof container having a predetermined periphery defining a predetermined simply connected area within a horizontal plane when said container is placed on a horizontal surface, said container having a substantially uniform cross-section along a vertical axis corresponding to said predetermined simply connected area, a bottom wall and a side wall defining an internal volume for receiving and retaining water, said side wall defining a predetermined upper open area defined by said periphery substantially corresponding to said simply connected cross-sectional area; a generally porous sheet of material at least as large as said predetermined open area; attaching means for attaching said porous sheet to said container to entirely cover said predetermined open area of said container to fully cover said simply connected area, said porous sheet defining a plurality of elements that form at least a plurality of apertures dimensioned to prevent an adult mosquito from passing therethrough but allowing evaporation of standing water placed into said container and passage of water molecules through said plurality of apertures; and a sticky substance on outwardly facing surfaces of said plurality of elements of the entire porous sheet extending across said entire periphery of said container; whereby water placed and retained over an extended period of time within said container attains an upper surface substantially equal to said predetermined simply connected area below said porous sheet of material maximizes, for a bottom wall having said predetermined simply connected area, the release of water molecules through said apertures into the atmosphere above said porous sheet without significant condensation on said porous sheet to attract gestating mosquitoes that attempt to enter said container to lay their eggs in the standing water below said porous sheet and are immobilized when retained by contact with said sticky substance and prevented from reaching the water and laying eggs in the water in said container or subsequently in any other body of water thereby breaking the reproductive cycle of the mosquito.