Laboratory evaluation of mosquito traps baited with a synthetic human odor blend to capture Aedes aegypti

J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 2005 Jun;21(2):229-33. doi: 10.2987/8756-971X(2005)21[229:LEOMTB]2.0.CO;2.

Abstract

A synthetic blend of chemicals comprising volatiles released by the human body has been shown to be an effective attractant for female Aedes aegypti in olfactometer bioassays with laboratory-reared mosquitoes. We report the laboratory evaluation of Ae. aegypti response to a synthetic blend tested with 4 types of mosquito traps (CDC model 512, CDC model 1012, CFG, and Fay-Prince traps). Aedes aegypti females were attracted significantly by the blend. The higher release rate of attractant (320.2 +/- 10.71 mg/h) more efficiently attracted mosquitoes than the lower release rate (42.0 +/- 2.3 mg/h). Although both the Fay-Prince and CFG traps caught higher number of mosquitoes than the other traps, only the CFG trap caught a statistically significant greater number of mosquitoes. The results suggest that the synthetic blend is effective in attracting Ae. aegypti females under controlled laboratory conditions (i.e., a closed system). Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this blend in baited traps under field conditions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes*
  • Animals
  • Entomology / instrumentation*
  • Entomology / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Odorants