Oviposition activity of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) in responseto different organic infusions

Abstract

-The present study investigates new sources of infusion as an oviposition attractant for Aedes aegypti L. Infusions with fetid and non-fetid odors were compared as an oviposition stimulant. Traps baited with infusions of dehydrated cashew leaves (Anacardium occidentale), potato peels (Solanum tuberosum) and graminea (Panicum maximum) were compared as attractants, and the effect of odor (fetid and unfetid) on attractiveness was tested. Oviposition activity changed signifi cantly according to the concentration and type of infusion (F = 4.1279; gl = 2; P = 0.0231). A larger number of eggs were observed in cups containing 50% A. occidentale (non-fetid odor) and 30% P. maximum (fetid odor). When compared in the same cage, comparable oviposition was found between A. occidentale and P. maximum. Moreover, approximately 20% more eggs were recorded in the infusion without odor when compared to the grass infusion and water. These fi ndings suggest A. occidentale as a new stimulant for use in ovitraps for Aedes surveillance and control, with the benefi t of having an agreeable odor.KEY WORDS: Attractive, mosquito, posture, ovitrap Epidemiologically, gravid females are the most important component of the mosquito population and are targeted in mosquito reduction programs and in the active surveillance of disease for the early detection of epidemic events (Macielde-Freitas et al 2008a). Mosquito egg traps (ovitrap) are a current trend as integral components of surveillance efforts, contributing to control efforts and monitoring of mosquito populations in countries with endemic dengue fever. This method was proven effective in detecting early infestations of Aedes aegypti L., particularly when density is low and larval indices are not good indicators (Braga et al 2000, Morato et al 2005. It is also useful in indicating critical areas for control activities (Masuh et al 2008, Regis et al 2008.There is a consensus regarding the use of organic infusions to achieve a better ovitrap performance. Most studies have used infusions of hay (Reiter et al 1991, Chadee et al 1993, Maciel-de-Freitas et al 2008b, white-oak leaf (Ponnusamy et al 2008, Trexler et al 1998, mixed grass (Regis et al 2008) and Panicum maximum (Sant'ana et al 2006, Gama et al 2007. The association of grass infusion, Eleusine indica, with the biological larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis in the fi eld has also been used (Santos et al 2003), offering the advantage of a long-term duration of traps in the wild. Recent efforts have been made to identify potential synthetic oviposition attractants/repellents for mosquitoes using certain fatty acids and esters from grass infusions (Sant'ana et al 2006) and egg extracts of A. aegypti as oviposition attractants (Ganesan et al 2006). However, different types and concentrations of organic detritus lead to variations in the abundance and types of microorganisms (Yee & Juliano 2006, Murrel & Juliano 2008, which could, in turn, infl uence the potential attraction of the infusion. Thus, the most appropriate org...

Attracted to the enemy: Aedes aegypti prefers oviposition sites with predator-killed conspecifics

“…Aedes aegypti is sensitive to bacterial abundances, preferentially ovipositing in habitats with high vs. low bacterial abundance (Wong et al 2011, Ponnusamy et al 2010, Navarro et al 2003, Santos et al 2010, Yee and Juliano 2006, Murrell and Juliano 2008). Larvae of predatory Toxorhynchites are the dominant predators in many of the kinds of the small containers used by A. aegypti (Collins and Blackwell 2000) and are capable of killing many prey larvae (Rubio et al 1980; Machado-Allison 1981; Steffan and Evenhuis 1981; Albeny et al 2011), thus potentially having a large direct or indirect effects on the bacterial abundance within containers.…”

Oviposition-Stimulant and Ovicidal Activities of Moringa oleifera Lectin on Aedes aegypti

“…Secondary metabolites produced by fungus Trichoderma viride and infusions obtained by fermentation of organic materials (e.g. sod, hay, grass, leaves, senescent bamboo and pelletized plant-based animal feeds) were shown to act as oviposition stimulants to gravid Aedes and Culex mosquitoes [21]–[24].…”

The Phytochemical Analysis of Hay Infusions and Papaya Leaf Juice as an Attractant Containing Insecticide for Aedes Aegypti

“…These chemical substances may produced from fermentation process of microorganisms in hay infusion. Atractivity of organic infusion is influenced by the bacteria growth in the infusion which also increases the production of secondary metabolites (Santos, 2010).…”