Preliminary analysis of several attractants and spatial repellents for the mosquito, Aedes albopictus using an olfactometer
Autor(es): Hao, Huiling; Sun, Jingcheng; Dai, Jianqing
Resumo: Mosquito attractants and spatial repellents hold great promise in controlling mosquito pests. In assessing the effectiveness of mosquito attractants and repellents, a good olfactometer system, and optimized testing conditions, are essential. In this research, we demonstrated the usefulness of an olfactometer system, and optimized testing conditions for Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). We found no significant difference in the biting activity of the insect between 8: 00 and 22:00. Furthermore, 5-10 day old mosquitoes were relatively strongly attracted, with blood-sucking rate 75.8%. The random capture rate (entered trap in absence of odor) was less than 20% for the 20-40 tested insects. Capture rates and systematic errors increased as the number of testing insects increased. Wind speed affected the capture rate significantly, whereas variations in temperature between 25-28 degrees C did not result in significant difference. The wind speed of 0.2 m/s exhibited a higher capture rate, which was significantly different from those at either 0.1 m/s or 0.4 m/s (P < 0.05). At the wind speed of 0.2 m/s, time durations within the first 8 minutes correlated positively with capture rates (r(2) = 0.997), but further increase in time duration to 10 minutes did not result in further increase in capture rates. One percent of L-lactic acid in dichloromethane resulted in a consistently higher capture rate (43.8%) than that from a human odor (31.2%). Under our testing conditions, eugenol, anisaldehyde, geraniol, citronellal, citral, and linalool all exhibited some inhibition effect on mosquitoes to successfully trace human odor or 1% of L-lactic acid in dichloromethane. The results of these two tests indicate that the L-lactic acid/dichloromethane mixture may be used as an effective attractant to evaluate the effect of possible spatial repellents on Ae. albopictus.
Palavras-Chave: Behavioral Responses; Testing Conditions
Imprenta: Journal of Insect Science, v. 12, 2012
Descritores: Aedes aegypti - Repellent
Data de publicação: 2012
