Laboratory evaluation of a novel lethal Ovitrap for control of Aedes aegypti

Authors: PARKER, C - University Of Florida; PEREIRA, R - University Of Florida; BALDWIN, R - University Of Florida; CHASKOPOULOU, ALEXANDRA - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); KOEHLER, P - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2017
Publication Date: 9/6/2017
Citation: Parker, C.N., Pereira, R., Baldwin, R., Chaskopoulou, A., Koehler, P.G. 2017. Laboratory evaluation of a novel lethal Ovitrap for control of Aedes aegypti. Journal of Medical Entomology. 24(6):1666-1673. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjx161.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjx161

Interpretive Summary: The mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are competent vectors of at least 22 different arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya, and zika. Control of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus is challenging due to their biology and behavior. Lethal ovitraps are a form of control for container-breeding mosquitoes such as Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus that has been explored in recent years. A novel, improved lethal ovitrap (Durable Dual-Action Lethal Ovitrap, DDALO) was developed though this study. The DDALO trap incorporates a leaf infusion mix to increase trap attractiveness to gravid female mosquitoes as well as a slow-release polymer (isobutyl methacrylate) embedded with an adulticide (permethrin) and a larvicide (pyriproxifen) for dual-action vector control. This study presents the step-by-step process of evaluating the efficacy of the DDALO trap in producing mosquito mortality using Ae. aegypti as a model organism for container-breeding mosquitoes. The DDALO trap effectively combined 2 different pesticide chemistries that resulted in significant mortality against all stages of the mosquito life cycle for up to 6 months and significantly reduced the mosquito population over time. Furthermore, the traps displayed a competitive advantage compared to other common oviposition sites in the environment. Based on this information, the DDALO trap has high potential to be used as a vector control tool for suppressing Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus populations, efficiently complementing currently available integrated vector control programs.

Technical Abstract: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are known to flourish in a variety of natural and residential habitats and are competent vectors of at least 22 different arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya, and zika. Their global distribution, anthropophilic nature, and vector competency make them species of interest for control. A novel durable dual-action lethal ovitrap (DDALO) with combined larviciding and adulticiding effects, as well as a slow-release polymer (isobutyl methacrylate), was designed to target the container-mosquito species, Aedes aegypti. Use of the DDALO resulted in high adult mosquito mortality (~95-100%) in no-choice laboratory cage studies targeting gravid females and successfully prevented all deposited eggs from hatching. Aging of the trap caused some loss in activity over time, but traps still caused adult mortality (~50%) and continued to prevent the successful hatching of eggs for 6 months. Oviposition preference studies resulted in a significant preference for DDALOs by female mosquitoes in comparison to other containers. Small cage multi-generational studies resulted in significantly lower populations of adult mosquitoes in cages containing treated DDALOs after 4 weeks. Based on successful lab studies, the DDALO appear to be a promising tool for controlling wild vector populations of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in combination with other mosquito control practices.