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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #190898

Title: EVALUATION OF CARBON DIOXIDE, 1-OCTEN-3-O1 AND LACTIC ACID AS BAITS IN MOSQUITO MAGNET PRO TRAPS FOR AEDES ALBOPICTUS (SKUSE) IN NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA.

Author
item HOEL, DAVID - U.S. NAVAL MEDICAL RES.
item Kline, Daniel - Dan
item Allan, Sandra - Sandy
item GRANT, A. - AMERICAN BIOPHYSICS CORP

Submitted to: American Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/23/2006
Publication Date: 3/1/2007
Citation: Hoel, D.F., Kline, D.L., Allan, S.A., Grant, A. 2007. Evaluation of carbon dioxide, 1-octen-3-o1 and lactic acid as baits in Mosquito Magnet Pro traps for aedes albopictus (skuse) in North Central Florida.. American Mosquito Control Association. 23(1):11-17.

Interpretive Summary: A major emphasis of current pest management research by USDA, ARS, scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, is the development of selective, environmentally friendly methods of control. Mosquito control is no exception. Success will depend upon the development of efficient trapping technology, effective attractants and strategic placement of these baited traps for maximum impact on the target population. The present work was undertaken as part of an ongoing effort to optimize novel trapping technologies for the Asian tiger mosquito which is considered to be the second most annoying mosquito to people in their backyards in the United States. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of baiting traps that produce carbon dioxide with commercially available attractants on backyard populations of the Asian tiger. Some trap and bait combinations did reduce Asian tiger mosquito populations substantially, but people were still being bitten. Future research will combine the attractant baited traps with other techniques available to the homeowner.

Technical Abstract: The impact of the attractants, 1-octen-3-ol (octenol) and L-lactic acid (Lurex™) on collection of Aedes albopictus in suburban backyards were assessed in Mosquito Magnet™ Professional traps. These carbon dioxide- producing traps were additionally baited with commercial formulated lures with octenol, lactic acid, octenol + lactic acid or no attractant (control) and evaluated in four residential sites. Three repetitions of the study resulted in the total collection of 1,321 Ae. albopictus. Significantly more Ae. albopictus were captured in traps baited with octenol + lactic acid than traps baited only with octenol although neither differed significantly from the control traps. Octenol + lactic acid-baited traps collected 36.2% and 52.0% more Ae. albopictus than lactic acid-baited and control traps, respectively. Male Ae. albopictus accounted for 26.7% of the total capture. Other mosquito species collected in sufficient numbers for analysis included Culex nigripalpus, Ochlerotatus infirmatus, Psorophora ferox, and Cx. erraticus. Larger numbers of these species were collected in traps that were unbaited or baited with only octenol than in traps baited with lactic acid or octenol + lactic acid.