ARS | Publication request: CAN THE MOSQUITO LANDING RATE ON HUMANS BE PREDICTED FROM CDC LIGHT TRAP COLLECTIONS?

Submitted to: American Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 15, 2006
Publication Date: February 26, 2006
Citation: Barnard, D.R., Knue, G.J. 2006. Can the mosquito landing rate on humans be predicted from cdc light trap collections?. American Mosquito Control Association.

Technical Abstract: Landing rates (LR) for Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Culex nigripalpus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Ochlerotatus triseriatus and Stegomyia albopicta on a human subject were compared with collections of each species using a CDC light trap baited with carbon dioxide during eight different observation times in the diel (24 hour) period. On a catch-per-unit-effort basis, seasonal (day-to-day) variations in collection rates by the two methods were significantly related only for Cx. quinquefasciatus. The comparative trap efficiencies (CDC/LR) ranged from 0.02 to 0.75, depending on species. On a daily basis, mean LR for St. albopicta in observation times 5, 7, and 8 can be predicted from CDC collections in the same period but bounds on error of the estimate encompass one order of magnitude. For other species, there was no significant relationship between capture rates by the two methods when compared by observation times within the diel period. Differences in mosquito activity indicated by each collection method suggest that LR and CDC methods may (1) sample different components (or phases) of the mosquito population and/or (2) simultaneously stimulate competitive response patterns in individual females; correction coefficients for CDC bias can be calculated when such differences are consistent.