Biogents BG-sentinel User manual

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v. 4.1)
Manual
for the
BG-Sentinel
An innovative trapping system
for mosquitoes & other
blood-sucking insects

Page 2 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
The BG-Sentinel trap
Congratulations for buying the BG-Sentinel. You have bought the latest innovation in mosquito traps
that is the result of more than 10 years of thorough scientific research. The BG-Sentinel
incorporates patented as well as patent pending technology and was initially developed to enable
researchers all over the world to monitor the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti and the Asian
tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus.
During its use on different continents it became evident that the BG-Sentinel also catches other
mosquitoes and blood seeking insects.
This is why the trap is now used by PCOs (Pest Control Operators) all over the world.
The BG-Sentinel does not need CO
2
to attract: •Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus,
Aedes polynesiensis
•Some Culex species, like Culex
quinquefasciatus or Culex pipiens
With the addition of CO
2
the BG-Sentinel attracts: •Additional mosquito species such as
Ochlerotatus spp., Aedes vexans,
Aedes cinereus, Anopheles spp. or
Coquillettidia spp.
•Other blood seeking insects such as
black flies (Simuliidae) or no-see-ums
(Ceratopogonidae)
•More individuals of the species
mentioned above (attracted without CO
2
)

Page 3 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
Trust & Competence
BG-Sentinel was successfully tested (t) or is used (u) by independent, reputable
organizations all over the world, the
• WHO (u)
• the US armed Forces (t)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA (u)
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), UK (t)
• Tropical Public Health Unit Network - Cairns, Australia (u)
• University of Neuchatel, Switzerland (t)
• Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (t)
• University of Regensburg, Germany (t)
The BG-Sentinel was developed by the same work group that contributed to the
development of Bayer's famous mosquito repellent, the new "Autan"
Technology & Safety
• The BG-Sentinel uses new patented and patent-pending technology.
• The BG-Sentinel is safe to handle, requiring an electric power supply of only 12 Volts
and no toxic chemicals.
Flexible Use & Possible Upgrades :
• The BG-Sentinel is collapsible (diameter: 35 cm; height: 10 cm) and light (1.2 kg)
making it easy to transport, carry and store.
• The BG-Sentinel can be used in-door (without CO
2
) as well as out-door, just according
to your needs.
• You can upgrade the BG-Sentinel with BioGents proprietary CO
2
device.
• Another upgrade is a larger catch bag for pest insects such as house flies or for mass
trapping operations.
Eco-Friendliness:
• In contrast to most other traps it catches almost no beneficial insects such as honey
bees and butterflies.
• The trap requires no more than 3.4 Watts per hour.

Page 4 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
Contents
1 User Information……...……………………………………. 5
2 Positioning of the trap………..…………………………... 5
Outdoor use …………………..………………………………………………. 5
Indoor use………..……………………………………………………………. 6
3 Handling of the trap………..……………………………… 6
Switching off the trap…………………..…………………………………….. 6
Removing the catch bag…………………..…………………………………. 6
Operating the BG-Sentinel with a large catch bag……………………..…. 7
4 Power supply………..……………………………………… 8
Batteries………………………..……………..……………………………… 8
5 Lures………...………………...………………..................... 8
6 Adding CO
2
..………………………………...……………... 9
7 Maintenance………...……..…………...………………….. 10
Nets…………………………………………………………………………… 10
8 What the BG-Sentinel can do…..……………………….. 10
9 What the BG-Sentinel can not do……..………...……... 11
10 Troubleshooting………………………………….……….. 11
11 Parts list……………………………………………….……. 12
12 Safety precautions……………………………….….…….
12
General………………………………………………………………………... 12
Electrical………………………………………………………………………. 13
Attractants…………………………………………………………………….. 13

Page 5 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
1 User Information
For best results, the trap has to be operated permanently. If switched off, the
catch bag needs to be removed and closed. Otherwise, caught mosquitoes
are able to escape from the catch bag.
2 Positioning of the trap
The correct placement of the trap is an important factor that influences the potency of the trap
Outdoor use (the trap can be operated with or without CO
2
):
Position the trap in a place that is sheltered from wind, heavy rainfall
∗
and direct sunlight.
Not in wind Not in heavy rainfall Not in direct sunlight
∗
Rainfall will not damage the trap as long as the fan is switched on.
Good trapping positions are close to resting places of mosquitoes such as bushes, shrubs,
hedges, high grass or any foliage.
Good trapping positions are also close to mosquito breeding sites such as all kinds of temporary
stagnant water from small lakes to collections of rain water e.g. in rain barrels or old tyres –
mosquitoes do not need a large amount of water for breeding, even an open can with some rain
water can be an ideal breeding place.
The trap should not be placed too close to walls (minimum distance of approx. 20-30m)
Fig. 2: An example for ideal
placement

Page 6 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
Indoor use (do not add CO
2
):
It is important that the trap is not placed in front of, or close to, backgrounds with a lot of contrast
(e.g. in front of a book shelf) because the trap works with a black and white contrast as a visual
stimulus and the mosquitoes could be distracted from the trap.
A good position would be for example in front of the window.
The trap is a competitor to human beings. To optimize results, leave the trap constantly running
even if no humans are present in the room/house for a while.
Leave interior doors open to allow the mosquitoes to find the trap.
3 Handling of the trap
Switching off the trap:
If for some reason you want to switch off the trap, you need to remove and close the catch bag
in use at the time.
This is because the funnel net only makes it difficult for the mosquitoes to escape but not
impossible. Only a running fan ensures that the mosquitoes can not escape from the catch bag.
⇒Always remove the catch bag before switching off the trap!
Removing the catch bag
When you are replacing a full catch bag by a new one (following steps 1 to 4) you should leave
the fan running.
1. The black catch pipe should be placed loosely in the suction tube so that it can easily be
lifted (i.e. the white gauze cover should be stretched over the trap before the catch pipe
is inserted into the suction tube when assembling)
⇓
2. Lift the catch pipe approx. 10cm straight upwards always keeping the catch bag in the
air suction (Fig. 3)
⇓
3. Carefully loosen the catch bag from the catch pipe and at the same time pull the cord
of the catch bag to close it tightly (Fig. 4)
⇓
4. Pull out the funnel net and now you can remove the closed catch bag
(Fig. 5)
For further use of the insects (e.g. identification/classification) it is best to put them into a freezer.

Page 7 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
The trap does not damage the insects, but identification is complicated if the insects stay
in the trap for more than 3 days or if they get wet.
Fig. 3,4 + 5: How to remove the catch bag
Note: You should attach the catch bag to the catch pipe with the seam facing towards the outside in
order to avoid mosquitoes getting stuck in the seam while emptying out the catch bag.
Operating the BG-Sentinel with a large catch bag
The black catch bag, which is located above the suction fan, may not be appropriate for pest insects
such as house flies or for mass trapping operations. In these cases a larger catch bag should be
attached below the fan as shown in Fig. 6 and 7. This positioning does not allow insects to escape
by crawling from the trap as long as the fan is switched on.
Fig. 6: Bag and fan Fig. 7: Attached bag
In the assembled trap, the white catch bag lies on the bottom of the trap and the black plastic catch
pipe is inserted without any attached bag.

Page 8 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
4 Power supply and electricity
The suction fan needs a power source of 9 to 12 V DC (max. 280 mA).
An optional transformer (for US or EU use) with fitting plug connection is available.
Also extension cords, battery mounting supplies and extra plug connections are available.
The trap does not require more than 3.4 Watts per hour.
In the case of an electricity failure the funnel net hinders escape of the mosquitoes from the catch
bag for a limited period of time.
Batteries
We usually recommend 12 Volt motorcycle or car batteries – these are easily rechargeable and
readily available in most places.
As a rule of thumb and including a security factor which should give you a peace of mind in most
real-life situations you will need a battery capacity of 10 to 11 Ah for every trap and 24 h trapping
period (for a 48 h period you will need a capacity of 20 to 22 Ah and so on).
5 Lures
In principal all kind of lures can be used with the trap. Simply place the lure inside the trap in the
pocket located on the outside of the suction tube.
We offer our special patented BG-Lure, which mimics the scent of human skin and releases a
mixture of several compounds for up to five months. The lure uses substance which are classified
as non-toxic. It is used for an added sensitivity and specificity for mosquitoes that prefer to feed on
humans.
1. Open the package of the dispenser
⇓
2. Take out the dispenser
⇓
3. Place it inside the pouch located on the
outside of the suction tube (Fig. 8)
NOTE: In tropical climates, the release rate of
the components can be higher, which may lead
to an increase in odour and a shorter life span of
the dispenser. In these regions, it may therefore
be feasible not to take the dispenser out of the
package, but only to cut a hole of about 15mm
into the package and then place it into the trap.
Fig. 8: BG-Lure inside the pouch of the
suction tube

Page 9 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
6 Adding CO
2
Without CO
2
the BG-Sentinel traps Aedes aegypti, Aedes polynesiensis and Aedes albopictus, the
vectors of Dengue, Chikungunya, Filariasis or Yellow fever. Also some Culex species such as Culex
quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens can be trapped.
The addition of CO
2
enables you to catch a broader range of blood seeking species and much
higher numbers of Aedes aegypti, Aedes polynesiensis, Aedes albopictus, and some Culex species.
CO
2
should be released by using BioGents CO
2
-nozzle (Fig.9), which is customized for the BG-
Sentinel trap.
Different sources of CO
2
can be used: the nozzle can be attached to a gas cylinder, any well
insulated dry ice container, or another CO
2
source that fits your preference placed away from the
trap.
Recommended flow rates of CO
2
gas are between 300 and 500 ml/min.
Fig. 10:
Attach the lower end of
the nozzle to the end
of a mounting pole
Fig. 9:
Release of CO
2
from a BG-Sentinel
CB: Catch pipe and catch bag
T: Suction tube F: Fan
Fig.11: CO
2
nozzle ready to use
Nozzle for the release
of carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
supply tube

Page 10 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
7 Maintenance
Nets
All nets must be kept clean! In case they have to be cleaned, wash them (by hand or machine)
with unperfumed soap to avoid odour contamination!
Any dirt or dust can clogg the pores of the nets and hinder the air flow.
If the catch bag is damaged or torn it should be replaced, as the mosquitoes are able to escape.
Extra catch bags, replacement sets and other accessories can be purchased from your supplier.
8 What the BG-Sentinel can do
Independent scientific studies demonstrate that the BG-Sentinel is the most effective trap for the
Yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti and the Tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, even without the
addition of CO
2
.
No CO
2
is necessary when the BG-Sentinel is used to catch Aedes aegypti, Aedes polynesiensis
Aedes albopictus, Culex species such as Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens and other
insects such as housefly, stablefly and fruitfly.
However, for these mosquito species catch results improve when CO
2
is added. With the
addition of CO
2
, also other mosquito species (e.g. Ochlerotatus, Aedes vexans, Aedes cinereus,
Anopheles, Coquillettidia) and other blood seeking insects as for example black flies
(Simuliidae) or no-see-ums (Ceratopogonidae) can be captured.
The BG-Sentinel
• is very light (1,2 kg)
• can easily be folded together to a height of 10 cm which makes it very easy to
transport and carry around. Even when it is unfolded to its usability size of 40cm
height it is still handy and light for carrying.
• can easily be assembled – no tools are needed and it takes no more than five
minutes. It is then very easy to use.
Aedes albopictus (Gainesville, Floride, USA)
29
70
14
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
BG-Sentinel
(w ithout CO2)
BG-Sentinel (w ith
CO2)
CDC (w ith CO2)
Total number of collected mosquitoes
Aedes aegypti (Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
30
23
47
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
BG-Sentinel
(without CO2)
MosquitoMagnet
Liberty(only with
CO2)
FayPrince
(without CO2)
Human landing
collection
Total number of collected mosquitoes
Summer 2003 / 04
N=20
Summer 2005
N=15

Page 11 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
9 What the BG-Sentinel cannot do
The BG-Sentinel
• is not able to reduce populations of millions of mosquitoes – a situation that can occur
after floods (no trap can do this).
• is also not able to eliminate your mosquito problem over night – in the best case it should
be left running for 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for as much time as possible.
Consequently, the BG-Sentinel should be kept running even if the mosquito population
decreased to ensure that newly hatched (e.g. after heavy rainfall) or migrating
mosquitoes can still be captured.
• cannot capture mosquitoes if insecticides were sprayed in or around the trap.
Note: If your trap does not catch mosquitoes sufficiently, you might have a problem with
mosquito species that are attracted by CO
2
and therefore you should try running the trap with
CO
2
.
10 Troubleshooting
Problem Possible reason Solution
No mosquitoes in the catch
bag
Fan not running Check the power supply
Wrong placement of trap Place the trap according to
the advice above
Your target mosquito needs
CO
2
as an attractant
Add CO
2
to the trap
according to the advice
above
Fan not running Power supply out of order Recharge battery if you are
using one
Plug connections loose Check that the single cables
are tightened into the plug
connections
Trap topples over Toppled over by strong wind
for example
Attach strings to the handles
and fasten them to the
ground using tent pegs

Page 12 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
11 Parts list
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Funnel net
Catch bag
Fan
Suction tube
Mounting pole
White gauze cover
Plug connection
Black catch pipe
12 Safety Precautions
General
•Children or persons unfamiliar with these instructions must not operate the equipment.
•The operator or user is responsible for accidents or hazards occurring to other people or to their
property.
•Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be used and remove all potential hazards
•When the trap is not in operation it should be stored in a safe dry environment

Page 13 of 13
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BioGents AG • Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b • D-93055 Regensburg • Germany
tel..: +49 - 941 - 604 889 - 855 & 589 • fax: +49 - 941 - 943 3064 • www.biogents.com • www.bg-sentinel.com
(v .4.1)
Electrical
•When using a mains adapter always plug into a mains source that is in a safe dry place
(preferably indoors)
•Switch off and remove the mains adapter from the mains before all operations except insect
removal
•When using the car battery adapters always ensure these are connected correctly bearing in mind
any instructions form the car / car battery manufacturers.
•Regularly inspect the electrical cables for signs of damage and only use if in perfect condition. If
damaged the cable must be replaced.
Attractants
All use of attractants should be carried out according to the manufacture’s recommendations for use
and safety guidelines.
Carbon Dioxide
Many different sources of carbon dioxide are available. These have different hazards and safety
precautions associated with them. Always follow the manufacturer / supplier guidelines for the
source you have chosen.
If any further problems occur or you have any further questions please contact us at
BioGents AG
Bruderwöhrdstr. 15b
D-93055 Regensburg
Germany
www.bg-sentinel.com
[email protected]
phone: [phone] & - 885
fax: [phone]