ARS | Publication request: Influence of mating status and body size on human host avidity and the repellency of deet in Aedes albopictus

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 2, 2008
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Mean percent host seeking and the response to deet (25% in ethanol) by Aedes albopictus were significantly influenced by female mating status and body size. Average host seeking rates (determined in an olfactometer) were higher for mated (38%) than unmated females (26%) and the mean rate of landing on a human hand exposed to mosquitoes in a cage was significantly higher for mated (15%) than unmated females (7%). Large-bodied mated females had higher average host seeking (57%) and host attack rates (17%), compared with small-bodied mated females (27 and 13%, respectively), whereas large-bodied unmated females had higher host-seeking rates (39%) than small-bodied unmated females (18%). Deet on human skin repelled unmated female mosquitoes longer (7.5 h) than mated females (6 h).