Aug 12, 2024
Design and validation of a low-cost sugar-feeder for resource-poor insectaries.
- 1Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine;
- 2University of Notre Dame
- Acosta Serrano Group
Protocol Citation: Zachary Thomas Stavrou - Dowd, Clair Rose, Álvaro costa-Serrano, Lee R Haines 2024. Design and validation of a low-cost sugar-feeder for resource-poor insectaries.. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.14egnzrbmg5d/v1
Manuscript citation:
Stavrou-Dowd et al., 2024. Design and validation of a low-cost sugar-feeder for resource-poor insectaries.
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: June 11, 2021
Last Modified: August 12, 2024
Protocol Integer ID: 50699
Keywords: ATSB, Malaria, Sugar Feeding, Anopheles, Mosquito, Vector Control, Sugar Baits, viable dyes, atsb components on anopheles gambiae mosquito, low toxicity to mosquito, anopheles gambiae mosquito, targeted sugar bait, maintaining mosquito colony, female anopheles gambiae mosquito, insecticide resistance, mosquito, labelled sugar bait, insecticide resistance in insect, mosquito colony, food dye, female mosquito, sugar bait, insect, sugar from the feeder, sugar feeder, sugar solution, plant sugar, affordable sugar feeder, reared insect, responsible sugar, poor insectary, cost sugar, ingested sugar, using boric acid, dye, feeder efficacy, imbibed sugar meal, preferred dye, boric acid, imbibed sugar meal within the abdomen, tissue specificity of the dye, screening potential atsb
Funders Acknowledgements:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Grant ID: INV-022192
Jean Clayton Fund - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Grant ID: JC0621CR02
Abstract
Background
The emergence of insecticide resistance in insects has led researchers to develop new control
tools so that historic gains made in reducing disease transmission are not
lost. Attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) are a vector control tool being
widely trialled to target insects that feed on plant sugars and blood. We
designed a field-friendly, economical and more environmentally responsible sugar
feeder for maintaining mosquito colonies and screening potential ATSB
candidates.
Methods
We simultaneously tested, in both male and female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the effect
of adding three water-soluble medical and food dyes (Allura Red, fluorescein
and tartrazine) to the sugar solution to identify those insects that had
ingested sugar from the feeder. To test feeder efficacy to deliver a toxic
substance, we assessed the killing using boric acid, which kills both male and
female mosquitoes when ingested. Using microscopy techniques compatible with fieldwork,
including the use of a mobile phone camera, we documented the efficacy and
tissue specificity of the dyes on mosquitoes after they were continuously fed dyed
sugar solutions.
Results
The easy-to-construct sugar feeder is an economical option for testing the efficacy
of ATSB components on Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Allura Red AC
was the preferred dye as it has low toxicity to mosquitoes and allows the
researcher to quickly visualise the imbibed sugar meal within the abdomen. Feeding
1% fluorescein dye, but not 0.1%, for longer than five days induced systemic
dye distribution, where the mosquito’s wing veins, antennae and legs brightly
fluoresced when examined by a handheld black light torch (395-400nm emission).
Discussion
Developing an affordable sugar feeder to maintain insectary-reared insects and test the
efficacy of ATSB candidates involves designing a dye-labelled sugar bait
station that is of low-toxicity, reusable and easy to construct using
components available in low resource settings such as field stations.
Image Attribution
Lee R. Haines
Materials
Suppliers are those used within the study. Please use alternative supplier if required.
Sugar Feeder Construction
Equipment
Surgical Tape
NAME
Masking Tape
TYPE
3M
BRAND
None
SKU
LINK
Equipment
Rubber Band
NAME
Rubber Band
TYPE
Rubber Band
BRAND
9340007
SKU
LINK
Size 33 87 x 2mm
SPECIFICATIONS
Equipment
Paper Clip
NAME
Paper Clip
TYPE
Paper Clip
BRAND
567-8618
SKU
LINK
Plain 51mm
SPECIFICATIONS
Equipment
Tights
NAME
Tights
TYPE
Tights
BRAND
None
SKU
LINK
15 Denier
SPECIFICATIONS
Equipment
Glass Bijou
NAME
Tube
TYPE
Murray and Co Ltd
BRAND
215-3568
SKU
LINK
7ml
SPECIFICATIONS
Equipment
7.0 ml Polystyrene Bijou Container
NAME
Tube
TYPE
StarLab
BRAND
E1412-0711
SKU
LINK
50 mm high x 23 mm diameter (including cap)
SPECIFICATIONS
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
| Material | £ Cost/package | # items /package or amount of package estimated for a single feeder (tights and tape) | £ cost/item | Link | Cat number | Company | |
| Glass bijou (7ml, Murray and Co Ltd) | 33.50 | 245 | 0.1367 | https://uk.vwr.com/store/product/18618073/bottles-glass-bijou-type-sterilin | 215-3568 | VWR | |
| Plastic bijou (7 ml polystyrene screw cap) | 98.00 | 700 | 0.1400 | https://www.alphalabs.co.uk/129202 | 129202 | Alpha | |
| Rubber band (Size 33 87 x 2mm) | 1.98 | 875 | 0.0023 | https://www.staples.co.uk/office-supplies-and-stationery/office-basics-and-stationery/office-clips-and-fasteners/rubber-bands/size-33-rubber-bands-pk-454g-9340007/ | 9340007 | Staples | |
| Paper clip (Plain 51mm) | 12.26 | 1000 | 0.0123 | https://www.staples.co.uk/office-supplies-and-stationery/office-basics-and-stationery/office-clips-and-fasteners/paper-clips/paperclips-plain-51mm-pk1000-33281/ | 567-8618 | Staples | |
| Tights (15 denier) | 2.50 | 500 | 0.0050 | https://direct.asda.com/george/women/socks-tights/brown-sheer-15-denier-tights-5-pack/GEM747177,default,pd.html?cgid=D1M1G20C14&placement_id=item_page.pdp1&strategy=bab_v2&config_id=item_page.pdp1&parent_item_id=GEM831629&product_id=GEM747177&slotClicked=1 | none | Asda | |
| Tape (3M surgical tape, Micropore) | 9.29 | 240 | 0.0387 | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micropore-Surgical-Tape-White-1-25cm/dp/B0009Q01E0 | none | Amazon | |
| Cost per feeder | |||||||
| Glass | 0.1950 | ||||||
| Plastic | 0.1982 | ||||||
| *glass or plastic costs the same - £0.20 | |||||||
Dyes used for detection of sugar feeding
- Allura Red ACMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #458848-100G
- TartrazineAlfa AesarCatalog #A17682
- Fluorescein Sodium SaltHoneywell FlukaCatalog #28803
Safety warnings
When using dyes follow manufacturers SDS and local and national guidelines.
Before start
Watch video of method
Collect materials required for construction of feeder. See "Materials"
Field Friendly Sugar Feeder7 steps
This sugar feeder is designed for field work conditions when resources are limited. It does not require access to any power tools and is set up using only five components.
Using either your hands or a pair of pliers, unravel the outer loop of a paperclip and twist it into a hanger.
Mould the outer loop around the bottom of the tube and leave the inner loop free to construct hanging hook
Tape down the paperclip around the tube using masking tape - 2 or 3 wraps is sufficient. If hanging outdoors, use waterproof tape.
Invert the feeder so the hook is now pointing to the floor and fill feeder with sugar solution. Adding an insect-safe dye allows sugar levels to be easily monitored.
Place a square of fabric tautly over the opening of the feeder and secure in place with an elastic band. Ensure the fabric used has been previously washed to avoid exposure to insecticides commonly sprayed on textiles during shipment and storage.
With thumb placed on top of fabric (to prevent fluid leakage) quickly but gently rotate feeder 180° so hanger is now top positioned.
Hang the sugar feeder inside a cage or wherever testing may be taking place