Attractive Toxic Sugar Bait (ATSB) For Control of Mosquitoes and Its Impact on Non-Target Organisms: A Review

Abstract

Mosquito abatement programs contend with mosquito-borne diseases, insecticidal resistance, and environmental impacts to non-target organisms. However, chemical resources are limited to a few chemical classes with similar modes of action, which has led to insecticide resistance in mosquito populations. To develop a new tool for mosquito abatement programs that control mosquitoes while combating the issues of insecticidal resistance, and has low impacts of non-target organisms, novel methods of mosquito control, such as attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs), are being developed. Whereas insect baiting to dissuade a behavior, or induce mortality, is not a novel concept, as it was first introduced in writings from 77 AD, mosquito baiting through toxic sugar baits (TSBs) had been quickly developing over the last 60 years. This review addresses the current body of research of ATSB by providing an overview of active ingredients (toxins) include in TSBs, attractants combined in ATSB, lethal effects on mosquito adults and larvae, impact on non-target insects, and prospects for the use of ATSB.

Opinions of key stakeholders on alternative interventions for malaria control and elimination in Tanzania

“…Several complementary vector control interventions are currently being discussed as possible candidates to accelerate the malaria elimination efforts [12]. Examples include: (a) larval source management (LSM), including larviciding and environmental management [13,14], (b) topical repellents for personal protection [15,16], (c) mass drug administration with endectocides such as ivermectin [17,18], (d) use of mosquito modification techniques, either to suppress or replace vector populations [19,20], (e) outdoor targeting of male mosquitoes through insecticide-spraying of mosquito swarms [21][22][23], (f ) housing improvement measures such as better window screening and improved house designs [24][25][26], (g) spatial repellents able to protect multiple individuals over wide areas [27,28], (h) attractive toxic sugar baits targeting sugar-seeking mosquitoes [29,30], and (i) mosquito-killing fungal spores and toxins [31,32].…”

Lethal effects of erythritol on the mosquito Aedes aegypti Linnaeus (Diptera: Culicidae)

“…In this method, a toxin is mixed with a sugar to kill mosquitoes that consume the solution. Sugar improves insecticidal activity in what is thought to be a phagostimulant effect (Fiorenzano et al., ). An attractant, such as a fruit scent, is sometimes added to increase the effectiveness of this technique.…”

“…We predicted that exposure to erythritol would negatively impact longevity in all three life stages. We further tested whether the addition of sucrose would alter erythritol's impacts on adult female longevity and result in improved insecticidal activity (Fiorenzano, Koehler, & Xue, 2017).…”

Evaluation of boric acid as toxic sugar bait against resistant Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

“…This can be done by exposing mosquitoes to a toxic sugar bait (TSB) (Xue et al 2006, Xue et al 2008, Hossain et al 2014, Naranjo et al 2013), which can be supplemented by adding an attractant (ATSB). Both TSB and ATSB target the sugar‐feeding behavior of mosquitoes and have been shown to be effective against a number of important mosquito vectors (Revay et al 2014, Fiorenzano et al 2017), including Ae. aegypti (Barbosa et al 2019, Scott‐Fiorenzano et al 2017, Qualls et al 2014).…”

“…Both TSB and ATSB target the sugar‐feeding behavior of mosquitoes and have been shown to be effective against a number of important mosquito vectors (Revay et al 2014, Fiorenzano et al 2017), including Ae. aegypti (Barbosa et al 2019, Scott‐Fiorenzano et al 2017, Qualls et al 2014). Since these methods deliver the toxic material via ingestion, many different toxicants can be used outside of conventional pesticides, including natural products that have less stringent EPA registration requirements.…”