Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D.
Details on Steps and Q&A
Step 2: Collect Sample* and Prepare your yard
Mosquitoes of all ages may be living in your yard.
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STEP 2: Collect Sample* & Prep Your Yard
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*Some teachers are participating in an extra step where students collect a water sample. If that is the case, your kit will come with a water sample kit tucked inside the G.R.I.D. kit egg cup. it will be a small resealable bag which contains a small, clear sample cup with a lid and a dropper. Take samples of any water you might find trapped in containers around your home. Seal the sample in clear sample cup with the lid (it should snap shut with gentle pressure) and return it to the small resealable bag. You will bring this water sample to class on the day your teacher has assigned for water sample analysis.
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To collect a water sample, use the dropper to transfer a sample of any trapped (stagnant) water you find into the clear sample cup provided. Be sure to leave some space for air! Snap the lid on firmly and place the cup with the sample into the resealable bag. Seal tightly! Place the sample in a location where you'll remember to take it to school. Return your bag with the sample cup, to the specially marked return bin at school. You will analyze your water sample or if your teacher has opted out of this classroom activity, we will analyze your water sample and report to you what we find. Please return your water sample by the deadline.
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ALL STUDENTS! PREP YOUR YARD: Clear your yard of sources- items that can hold trapped (stagnant) water. IMPORTANT: All students, with or without a water sample kit must complete this part of the step! These sources may have mosquito eggs around the edges of the water or on the surface of the water and may be growing baby mosquitoes. Eliminate these sources to be sure that female mosquitoes lay eggs in the lure and not in other items ideal for mosquito growth.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Question: What needs to be cleaned or removed from my yard?
​Watch this video for items to look for and either toss out or store away.
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Question: How do I find my agent number?
​Your agent number is written on the tall black egg cup found in your kit and on your water sample cup (if you are doing the extra water analysis step). You will use your unique agent number for every data submission.
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Question: How do I send back my G.R.I.D. at the end of the project?
Kits (egg cup, spike, AND used egg paper rolled up inside your egg cup) must be returned in their resealable bags at the end of the project. You will return your kit to your teacher who has the return bin. Turn in the entire kit to the return bin by the date on your calendar. If you didn't get a calendar, your teacher will have posted the calendar and due dates.
Question: What if I cannot continue participating in Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D.?
We are sad to see you go. Please inform your teacher. They will provide you with instructions for returning your materials.
Question: I have a (sibling, cousin, friend) that lives with me who is doing the same project. Can they set an egg cup in the same yard/place as my egg cup?
Yes, more than one person can place an egg cup at the same address. Each person must use their unique agent number.
Step 3: Place your egg cup
Choose a location for your egg cup that is cool and sheltered from the wind. It's important to pick a safe location where it won't be tipped over. Use that location for the whole program.
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Label your egg paper while still dry with your agent number (found on the label on your egg cup) on the right hand, clipped corner of the egg paper. Please use a pencil and do not use a marker or pen which will bleed and become unreadable when wet. Roll the paper with the date and the line facing to the inside and slip it all the way into the cup. With the paper in place, SLOWLY fill the cup with water WHILE TURNING the cup so the paper is wet evenly from top to bottom. This will keep the paper from lifting up as the water level rises. You want to keep the top edge of the paper at or below the rim of the cup. Fill it until the water reaches the line drawn on the paper. Place your cup in the spot you have picked out and leave it there for the whole week.
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Check the cup regularly to make sure it hasn't been tipped over.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do I set up my egg cup?
​Watch this video for a step-by-step guide to set up the lure.
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Question: Where do I place my egg cup?
​ To identify the best place for a lure, watch this video.
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Question: What if I haven’t received my kit?
Check with your teacher for your kit. You may have been absent when the kits were handed out.
If you did not submit your parent permission or pre-assessment, you will not receive a kit.
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Question: What if my kit is incomplete?
Your kit should include:
(1) Black egg cup,
(1) Spike,
(1) Sheet of egg paper
Optional Items (Teacher Preference)
(1) Checklist and Calendar Sheet
(1) Clear water sample cup with lid
(1) Plastic Pipette
All of these items will come in a large resealable bag. SAVE THE BAG! You will return your kit and used egg paper in that bag. If you lose the resealable bag, you can use any large plastic bag that can be zipped closed. Please do not use a marker or pen because these can bleed when wet. If you are missing any of the expected items listed above, let your teacher know immediately so they can be replaced and you can still participate.
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Question: What if I can’t use the spike?
If placing the egg cup on soft dirt, use the spike. If the surface is hard, don't use the spike. If you are not using the spike, make sure the egg cup is sitting on a flat surface so it is less likely to tip over. Save the unused spike and return it with the kit at the end of the project. With the area clear of water and containers, any female Aedes mosquitoes present will have only one place to lay their eggs - your egg cup!
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Question: The water level is low. Should I refill it?
No. Mosquitoes will follow the lowering water line and will continue to lay their eggs in the lure.
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Question: What if the cup is knocked over and all the water is gone?
If it's only been out for a day or two, refill the cup. If it's been tipped over toward the end of the surveillance week, pull the paper and dry it. Adding more water later in the week may cause eggs already attached to the paper to hatch and the tiny larvae will be lost when you dump out the water.
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Question: What if my egg cup is lost or damaged?
​If your egg cup doesn't hold water, please inform your teacher and request a new cup. However, if the cup can hold water, keep using it until the end of the project. Damaged or not, please return the cup for credit. If your cup is lost or damaged during the surveillance week, it’s okay! Science is messy and accidents happen. The important thing is to report it! Please inform your teacher of the lost or damaged cup as soon as possible.
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Question: Snails ate the label off my cup and you can't read the agent number! Now what?
Garden snails love to eat paper labels off the egg cups! If that has happened and you can no longer read your agent number, be sure to write your agent number on a piece of paper or a Post-it note and seal it inside the large resealable bag. If the cup is loose, the note may become separated and you won't get credit for your hard work.
Question: What if I could not collect data this week?
If something unexpected occurred and you could not collect data during the data collection weeks, please let your teacher know as soon as possible.
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Question: I was sure I saw tiny black eggs on the paper when I pulled the paper out of the cup. Now I don't see them. What happened?
Eggs can be lost several ways: They can fall off the paper if handled roughly or something was scraped across the surface (such as a rock or brick when holding the paper down to dry. If the paper is left wet or damp, the eggs can hatch and the tiny larvae clinging to the paper are much harder to see and photograph. Handle the paper gently! Don't scrap anything across the surface of the paper when drying or when using the microscope (that includes the slide clips on the microscope stage - rotate those out of the way when scanning your paper under the microscope). Immediately dry the paper (it only takes a short time to dry it completely). Transport the paper to class carefully rolled up in your egg cup where it will be protected from crushing or rubbing against other objects as you take it to school for lab day.
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Step 4: End of Surveillance and Kit return
​Returning your Kit​
Remove the egg paper from the cup and tip out the water. Place the paper in a safe place and secure it so it doesn't blow away. Allow the egg paper to dry COMPLETELY. It should dry fairly quickly. Rinse out and dry the egg cup. When the egg paper is completely dry, carefully roll it and slip it back inside the egg cup. Place the cup and paper, along with the spike, back in the large resealable bag. Bring entire kit to class so you can return the spike, cup, and USED EGG PAPER to return bin at school once you've completed your analysis of the egg paper under the microscope. Once analyzed, please carefully roll the egg paper back up and return it to your egg cup. YES! We want the papers back with your kit!
Step 5: Follow up Assessments
Your intel is critical to clearing mosquitoes off the GRID. But we still need your support. Your job is to keep your home mosquito-free. Go around your property and inspect for dangerous mosquitoes once a week. Be on the lookout for future surveys to inform us about your continued mosquito reduction activities.
Want to stay informed or show us how you reduce mosquitoes? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at SGVMosquito.