On humid summer mornings across Florida, a mosquito can seem like little more than an annoyance. But to public health researchers, each insect represents a data point that could offer an early warning of the next disease outbreak.
At FAMU, scientists are working to improve one of the most fundamental tools in that effort: the mosquito trap.
Researchers in the university's College of Agriculture and Food Sciences are testing trapping methods that could sharpen disease surveillance, helping health officials detect mosquito populations earlier and respond more quickly to threats posed by mosquito-borne illnesses.
The research, led by entomologist Anamika Sharma, Ph.D., seeks to determine which trapping methods are most effective under different environmental conditions and at various stages of a mosquito's life cycle. The findings could strengthen mosquito monitoring programs across Florida while improving efforts to reduce the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika virus, West Nile virus and heartworm.
Anamika Sharma, Ph.D., entomologist,
in the FAMU College of Agriculture and Food Sciences.
"The process is complicated because it happens at different geographical locations depending on the different environmental conditions and natural disasters such as hurricanes and flooding," Sharma said.
Florida presents a particularly challenging landscape for mosquito surveillance. Its warm climate, frequent rainfall and increasingly severe weather events create ideal breeding conditions for dozens of mosquito species, some capable of transmitting diseases that threaten both human and animal health.
Rather than relying on a single approach, Sharma's team is evaluating multiple types of traps designed to attract mosquitoes in different ways.
Carbon dioxide traps imitate human breath, drawing mosquitoes searching for a blood meal. Pheromone traps use chemical signals to attract specific species. Light traps monitor mosquito activity during different periods, while water traps target mosquitoes during their breeding stages.
The goal is not to identify one superior trap but to understand which tools perform best under specific circumstances.
"A trap that performs very well in one setting may not be as effective in another," Sharma said. "This highlights the importance of tailoring mosquito surveillance strategies to local conditions rather than relying on a single universal approach."
Researchers also collect mosquito larvae from standing water, allowing them to study breeding patterns before adult mosquitoes emerge. Combined with trapping data, those observations can provide a more complete picture of mosquito populations and help public health officials anticipate where disease-carrying insects may become established.
The work extends beyond laboratory research, providing students with practical experience in scientific investigation.
Jacquez Daniels, a master's student in the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, joined the project earlier this year and has helped conduct a comprehensive review of mosquito surveillance studies from around the world.
The work has required him to analyze scientific literature, organize data and compare research methods used by investigators working in different environments.
"Although I have only been involved in this project since February, it has strengthened my skills in scientific literature review, data organization and critical analysis," Daniels said. "Working on a meta-analysis has taught me how to evaluate published research objectively, recognize patterns across studies and understand how differences in methodology can influence results."
The experience, he said, has reinforced the importance of careful data collection and accurate species identification while preparing him for a career in insect taxonomy and systematics.
"Being involved in research has given me opportunities to work alongside experienced researchers, develop new skills and gain confidence in my ability to tackle complex problems," Daniels said. "The techniques and critical thinking developed through research are transferable across many areas of entomology, making me a more well-rounded researcher."
The researchers emphasize that mosquito control depends as much on information as it does on insecticides.
Surveillance allows officials to identify which species are present, where they are breeding and whether disease-carrying populations are increasing. That knowledge can make mosquito control programs more targeted, reducing unnecessary pesticide applications while improving public health outcomes.
"Mosquito control is not just about spraying adult mosquitoes," Daniels said. "Long-term prevention relies heavily on surveillance, environmental management, and understanding mosquito behavior and ecology."
He encourages residents to eliminate standing water around their homes, noting that even small amounts of stagnant water can become breeding sites capable of producing hundreds of mosquitoes.
Sharma believes the need for improved surveillance will only grow as climate patterns continue to evolve.
"Climate change and weather conditions are drastically changing, so I think if we have a tool to help us with mosquito surveillance, it will be better for everybody," she said.
Better trapping methods, she added, could enable public health officials to detect mosquito populations earlier, monitor disease vectors more accurately and concentrate control efforts where they are needed most.
"Better traps can help detect mosquito populations earlier, monitor disease vectors more accurately and reduce mosquito abundance in targeted areas," Sharma said. "Ultimately, this could lower disease transmission risks and improve public health outcomes while reducing unnecessary pesticide applications."
The team hopes to expand the research by testing trap performance across additional regions and environmental conditions, producing findings that could help mosquito control agencies adapt to changing climates and shifting insect populations.
For Sharma, the research also carries an important ecological message.
Mosquitoes, despite the diseases some species transmit, remain part of complex ecosystems, serving as food sources for fish, birds and other wildlife. The challenge, she said, is not to eliminate mosquitoes entirely but to develop smarter strategies that protect public health while respecting environmental balance.
As Florida faces longer mosquito seasons and increasingly unpredictable weather, FAMU researchers believe the answer may lie not in bigger interventions, but in better information—captured one trap, and one mosquito, at a time.