As Hillsborough County continues battling its largest dengue outbreak on record, researchers at the University of South Florida have developed an AI-powered mosquito trap designed to identify dangerous mosquito species within hours instead of days.
According to the Florida Department of Health’s latest weekly surveillance report, Hillsborough County has recorded 407 locally acquired dengue cases in 2026, the county’s largest outbreak on record. Statewide, health officials have reported 524 locally acquired cases through October 31, meaning those people contracted the virus from mosquitoes in Florida rather than while traveling abroad.
On November 13, Hillsborough County extended its state of local emergency through November 19 as mosquito control crews stepped up aerial and ground treatments. County officials say surveillance continues to detect dengue virus activity in neighborhoods across the area.
How the Trap Works
The technology comes from Digitomy, a startup founded by USF Associate Professor Ryan Carney and Professor Sriram Chellappan, who have been developing the system since 2018. The trap can be hung from a low tree branch or set on the ground. A light or bait draws mosquitoes inside, where a small fan pulls them onto a sticky pad. Two built-in cameras then photograph the insects, and artificial intelligence compares the images against a large database to identify the species.
The system can also determine whether a mosquito is male or female and whether it has recently fed on blood, information that matters because only female mosquitoes bite and transmit disease. In laboratory testing, the researchers say the system identified mosquito species with more than 98% accuracy.
Traditional mosquito surveillance can take two to three days because specialists must examine captured insects under a microscope. Digitomy’s system uses AI and cloud computing with the goal of identifying species the same day, which could let mosquito control teams move faster in deciding where to focus their efforts — particularly important for tracking Aedes aegypti, the species primarily responsible for spreading dengue in Florida.
The trap identifies which mosquito species have been captured, not whether an individual mosquito is actually infected with dengue. Confirming an infection still requires laboratory testing.
From the Lab to the Field
Information gathered by the traps can be fed into a mapping dashboard that shows mosquito control teams where certain species are turning up. The researchers have already folded trap data into a private layer of their Global Mosquito Observations Dashboard, which also draws on more than half a million citizen science reports. Digitomy’s technology is also meant to work alongside an existing early warning system Carney developed for dengue and West Nile virus.
Digitomy has tested the technology at USF and worked with the Anastasia Mosquito Control District in St. Johns County, which includes St. Augustine. The team is now preparing for field validation in Hillsborough County, where the dengue outbreak has hit hardest.
The startup is working with USF’s Technology Transfer office to license the AI identification system to established mosquito trap manufacturers, which could let companies add the technology to equipment they already produce. No consumer launch date or retail price has been announced. Digitomy received a $25,000 grant from the USF Research Foundation’s Bull Ring Accelerator in summer 2026 to help with commercialization. The team is also building an online education platform to let mosquito control professionals and the public practice identifying species using images and AI-generated feedback.
What Residents Can Do Now
Health officials continue to urge basic precautions against mosquito bites. Residents should empty standing water from flowerpots and other outdoor containers, since mosquitoes can breed in small amounts of water. Using an EPA-registered insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors can also reduce exposure.
