Control of maleAedes albopictusSkuse (Diptera: Culicidae) using boric acid sugar bait and its impact on female fecundity and fertility

Abstract

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is a serious threat to human health as a vector of arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya (Lambrechts et al. 2010, Gubler 1998, and Zika (Wong et al. 2013). Adult Ae. albopictus are controlled primarily via ground and aerial ultra-low volume applications of insecticides. The chemical insecticides may potentially pollute the environment, and mosquito populations gradually develop resistance to them (Waits et al. 2017). The future for mosquito control requires safer and more effective alternatives to replace and improve currently used adulticides.Male and female mosquitoes require carbohydrates after emerging for energy, survival, and reproduction (Yuval 1992, Foster 1995. Adult Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, like other mosquito species, need regular sugar meals (Muller et al. 2010a, Xue et al. 2010. Attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) is a novel method for adult mosquito control. This control method takes advantage of mosquito sugar-feeding behavior by mixing insecticides with their food (Lea 1965. The ingredients in ATSB are fruit juice (attractive), 10% sugar (feeding stimulator), and 1% boric acid (stomach toxin), and adult male and female mosquitoes usually die 24-48 h after ingestion of TSB or ATSB Barnard 2003, Xue et al. 2008). The ingredients of toxic sugar bait (TSB) are usually 10% sugar and 1% boric acid, without fruit juice as an attractant. When applied to foliage, TSB or ATSB was successful in controlling Ae. albopictus in both semi-field conditions (Xue et al. 2006) and residential communities in St. Augustine, FL (Naranjo, et al. 2013). ATSB or TSB can be targeted to males when timed to their emergence. Male mosquitoes typically emerge at least 12 h earlier than females (Xue and Barnard 1997) and feed only on sugar for nutrition and survival (Xue et al. 2010). This early emergence time and complete dependence on sugar for survival suggests male mosquitoes can be affected by TSB or ATSB. If TSB or ATSB exposure is directed to this early emergence time, it may have an indirect effect on female mosquito fecundity and fertility.In this study, we tested the hypothesis that mosquito reproductive capacity is negatively affected if male Ae. albopictus are exposed to TSB before females emerge. After a brief exposure period to TSB, male and female mortality were analyzed to see if the exposure period only affected males. Next, reproductive effects of females exposed to TSB were analyzed by counting the number of eggs laid and the hatch rate. Each assessment of TSB was compared to a 10% sucrose control.The Ae. albopictus strain was obtained from the USDA, ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, in Gainesville, FL and reared in the insectary at Anastasia Mosquito Control District (AMCD) in St. Augustine, according to the method described by Gerberg et al. (1994). The adult mosquitoes were fed a 10% sucrose solution ad libitum, and were maintained in a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h at 80% relative humidity and temperature of 27º C.The toxic sugar bait (TSB) formu...

Ingestion of spinosad-containing toxic sugar bait alters Aedes albopictus vector competence and vectorial capacity for dengue virus

“…For instance, oral ingestion of TSB incorporating boric acid (a gut toxin) reduced adult mosquito daily survival probability, host-seeking, blood-feeding rates, fecundity, and fertility in Ae. albopictus (Ali et al, 2006;Wang et al, 2017). Consistent with these studies, we found that females who ingested TSB had substantially shorter daily survival than individuals in the control group.…”

Applicability of attractive toxic sugar baits as a mosquito vector control tool in the context ofIndia: a review

“…Later, the same results were reported with an even lower concentration of boric acid (0.1%) in TSB solution against Aedes mosquitoes after 10 days exposure in laboratory 4 . Thereafter, several studies were undertaken with boric acid and sugar solution against Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, and > 90% mortality was observed after 48 h exposure under controlled conditions 15, 30, 39, 40 . Although the majority of studies reported significantly high mortality rates of Aedes mosquitoes with boric acid, a few recent studies documented relatively less mortality (50–70%) 23, 24, 33 .…”

“…4 Thereafter, several studies were undertaken with boric acid and sugar solution against Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, and > 90% mortality was observed after 48 h exposure under controlled conditions. 15,30,39,40 Although the majority of studies reported significantly high mortality rates of Aedes mosquitoes with boric acid, a few recent studies documented relatively less mortality (50-70%). 23,24,33 Based on the proven efficacy of boric acid with sugar solutions, several field trials were undertaken both outdoors and indoors.…”

Attractive Sugar Bait Formulation for Development of Attractive Toxic Sugar Bait for Control of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus)

“…albopictus and Ae. aegypti to be used in ATSB in fields of Florida [ 23 , 25 ]. In Brazil, the guava juice-ASB, mango juice-ASB, and cupuacu juice-ASB have been used to investigate their attractant potential against Ae.…”