Sugar Bait Composition Containing Ivermectin Affect Engorgement and Mortality of the Mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

Toxins and attractants have been studied and used in sugar baits for mosquitoes. However, little importance has been given to the combination of sugar concentration, bait composition, and their relationship with mosquito engorgement and mortality. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effects of three concentrations of sucrose on baits with and without an attractant (concentrated guava juice), on engorgement and mortality rates of adult Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, Diptera: Culicidae). Toxic sugar baits (TSB) and attractant toxic sugar baits (ATSB) containing 10, 50, and 70% sucrose and 100 ppm ivermectin (IVM) were prepared to assess engorgement and mortality rates. Subsequently, different concentrations of IVM (0.312–100 ppm) in TSB and ATSB were prepared with sucrose concentrations of 10 and 70% to determine the lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90) values. Engorgement on the baits was observed under a stereomicroscope, and mortality was followed up to 48 h after feeding. In general, more mosquitoes engorged on TSB regardless of the sugar concentration, while higher concentrations of sugar in ATSBs resulted in higher numbers of mosquitoes engorging. A large increase in the LC90 of IVM was observed for females feeding on ATSBs and TSBs with 70% sucrose relative to those feeding on baits with lower sugar concentrations. No such effect was observed for males.