Ovillanta (IMAGE) Terry Collins Assoc Caption During a 10-month study, researchers collected and destroyed over 18,100 Aedes eggs per month using 84 ovillantas in seven neighbourhoods of the town of Sayaxche, Guatemala (population 15,000), almost seven times the roughly 2,700 eggs collected monthly using 84 standard traps in the same study areas. Targeting mosquito eggs using the ovillanta, Dr. Ulibarri says, is one third as expensive as trying to destroy larvae in natural ponds and only 20 percent the cost of targeting adult insects with pesticides, which also harm bats, dragonflies and the mosquitoes' other natural predators. Credit Daniel Pinelo Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.