Friday, February 2, 2018

Oh, patents! Qista

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann


Got bugs?

Qista, produced and manufactured by the French company Techno BAM, has an innovative solution that is lethal for mosquitos, while remaining safe for both humans and the environment. The Qista mosquito stations simulate human breathing with carbon dioxide while releasing some irresistible scents, designed to lure insects into thinking they are going to sting humans. The mosquitos, and especially females, are thus drawn into the stations, where they are trapped inside a net.

The Qista invention was informed by research carried out on mosquito control at the Tour du Valat Research Insitute, focused on the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands.  It was motivated by a desire to find an alternative to chemical solutions, such as:
1. Use of the Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) larvacide, for which evidence of collateral environmental impact exists (Poulin, et. al., 2006);
2. Insecticidal solutions, the side-effects of which are extensively documented (e.g.; Aktar, et al., 2009), including the risks of resistance; and 
3. Repellant solutions (e.g.; DEET - N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide), which merely divert the mosquito populations, without suppressing them.  

The Qista mosquito stations have a range of 200 feet outdoors, which makes them far more effective than designs of the prior art. They are lethal for nematocerous dipterans (biting insects) and hematophagous dipterans (bloodsucking insects). They are also cost-effective, and recommended for both outdoor residential and commercial areas (e.g.; gardens and parks).  

This invention is recited in the following family of patents:
  • US20170231210A1 - Device and method for trapping flying insect pests.
  • WO2016020627 - Appareil et procédé pour prendre au piège des insectes volants nuisibles
  • MX2017001715 - Aparato y proceso para atrapar insectos voladores dañinos
  • EP3177138 - Device and method for trapping flying insect pests 
  • FR3024643 - Appareil et procédé pour prendre au piège des insectes volants nuisibles
  • CA2957356 - Device and method for trapping flying insect pests 
The abstract for US20170231210 is included below, together with one of the patent drawings, showing the device according to the invention.

An apparatus for trapping flying insect pests, including: a device for diffusing in the surrounding ambient air a gaseous lure the composition of which is suitable for attracting the insects; a device for sucking a flow of surrounding ambient air containing the insects attracted by the diffused gaseous lure, an insect trap arranged with the suction device so the insects sucked by said device are retained in said trap        .[Abstract US20170231210]
References

Aktar, W. MD, Sengpupta, D & A. Chowdhry (2009) Impact of pesticides use in agriculture: their benefits and hazards. In Interdiscip Toxicol. 2009 Mar; 2(1): 1–12. Published online 2009 Mar. doi:  10.2478/v10102-009-0001-7
Poulin, B., Lefebve, G & L. Paz (2006) Red flag for green spray: adverse trophic effects of Bti on breeding birds. In The Journal of Applied Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01821.x
Qista
Tour du Valat
US Dept. Of Health – Mosquito Larvicide - Bti
https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Pests/Mosquitoes/Bti

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