Host-seeking: How triatomines acquire and make use of information to find blood

Olfaction in vector-host interactions

“…Moreover, when the latter mixture is combined with CO 2 (mixture 4 in Table 2), an additional synergistic effect is revealed, making that mixture as attractive as a mouse, when tested on the servosphere . This is remarkable considering that the positive control (a mouse) is a source of a plethora of sensory cues (including heat, water vapour and a complete, natural, odour blend) and triatomines are able to detect many of them (Guerenstein and Lazzari 2009). It should be noted that all mixtures in Table 2 include L-LA but not all of them have CO 2 as constituent.…”

“…Cruz López et al 1995, Guerenstein and Guerin 2004, Manrique et al 2006, Rojas et al 2002, Schofield 1979a. Thus, a parsimonious use of this odorant by these insects has been proposed (Guerenstein and Guerin 2001, Guerenstein and Lazzari 2009) because it is used by triatomines as, at least, host attractant and alarm signal depending on its concentration, sensory (in particular odour blend) context and the physiological state of the perceiving bug. It should be noted that odorants tested singly are often effective only within a narrow range of concentrations (Barrozo andLazzari 2004a, Guerenstein and.…”

“…The heat emitted by the host body constitutes a main orienting cue for triatomines, whose thermal sense and their use of thermal cues have been the object of diverse studies (e.g. Ferreira et al 2007, Flores and Lazzari 1996, Guerenstein and Lazzari 2009, Lazzari and Núñez 1989a,b, Wigglesworth and Gillett 1934. The behavioural sensitivity of triatomines to heat is extremely high and they remain the only group of blood-sucking insects where the ability to perceive the infrared radiation emitted by the host body has been demonstrated (Lazzari andNúñez 1989a, Schmitz et al 2000).…”

Biology, diversity and strategies for the monitoring and control of triatomines - Chagas disease vectors

“…The precise mapping of their occurrence, domestic infestations and the natural infection rates for the different triatomine species is critical for understanding the challenges and threats posed by vectorial transmission (Silveira & Vinhaes 1999, Silveira 2000, Costa et al 2002, López-Cardenas et al 2005. Understanding their host searching behaviour and activity patterns (Guerenstein & Lazzari 2009) as well as their choice of environments (Guarneri et al 2002(Guarneri et al , 2003 is also necessary. In addition to the previously mentioned characteristics, dispersion and reproductive strategies are essential for creating models to predict re-infestation processes (Gurevitz et al 2006).…”

Behavioural responses to human skin extracts and antennal phenotypes of sylvatic first filial generation and long rearing laboratory colony Rhodnius prolixus

“…Volatile compounds are detected by olfactory protein receptors on bipolar neurons inside the cuticular sensilla on the antennae of triatomines and other insects (Mayer 1968, Catalá 1998, Leal 2005, Guerenstein & Lazzari 2009. Antennal sensilla in triatomines are also involved in mechanoreception, proprioception and thermo-hygroreception (Catalá 1997(Catalá , 1998.…”