Evaluation of Modified Autocidal Gravid Ovitraps for Control of Aedes Aegypti in St. Augustine, Florida.

Aedes aegypti is an anthropophilic mosquito that vectors dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever viruses. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGOs) may facilitate the control of container-inhabiting Aedes mosquitoes and curb arbovirus outbreaks by taking advantage of oviposition-seeking behavior using pesticide-free technology. The AGOs, manufactured by SpringStar Inc., were tested during the summer of 2018 in St. Augustine, FL. A total of 1,718 AGOs were deployed for study in 3 different 40-acre (∼18.2 ha) plots at a density of 5-7 AGOs per house and a coverage of >90% for all AGO test sites. The AGOs were modified using tap water instead of infusion water to reduce the capture of nontarget organisms. Each intervention and reference area was monitored weekly using BioGents Sentinel traps and Sentinel AGOs. Generalized linear mixed models showed that changes to Aedes mosquito populations were more seasonal than treatment driven. Homeowners expressed positivity about traps and believed the traps were both effective and had directly contributed to increased quality of life.

EVALUTION OF MODIFIED AUTOCIDAL GRAVID OVITRAPS FOR CONTROL OF AEDES AEGYPTI IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

Aedes aegypti is an anthropophilic mosquito that vectors dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever viruses. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGOs) may facilitate the control of container-inhabiting Aedes mosquitoes and curb arbovirus outbreaks by taking advantage of oviposition-seeking behavior using pesticide-free technology. The AGOs, manufactured by SpringStar Inc., were tested during the summer of 2018 in St. Augustine, FL. A total of 1,718 AGOs were deployed for study in 3 different 40-acre (∼18.2 ha) plots at a density of 5-7 AGOs per house and a coverage of >90% for all AGO test sites. The AGOs were modified using tap water instead of infusion water to reduce the capture of nontarget organisms. Each intervention and reference area was monitored weekly using BioGents Sentinel traps and Sentinel AGOs. Generalized linear mixed models showed that changes to Aedes mosquito populations were more seasonal than treatment driven. Homeowners expressed positivity about traps and believed the traps were both effective and had directly contributed to increased quality of life.

Dancing in the purple rain: color affinity and oviposition choices in Aedes sierrensis (Diptera: Culicidae).

The western tree hole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow) (Diptera: Clucidae), is a pestiferous mosquito with a range extending over the entire pacific seaboard and into portions of the intermountain west. As a peridomestic heartworm vector, it demands at least some level of surveillance to understand its abundance. However, the species is refractory to a majority of conventional vector surveillance approaches for tracking mosquitoes. To find more options for Aedes sierrensis surveillance, a variety of oviposition attractants were evaluated in arena-style choice assays using colony reared adults. A range of infusion treatments (e.g., alfalfa, oak, and beetroot) were examined and then combined with investigations of liquid color as well as ovicup color and entryway position. These studies revealed that Ae. sierrensis have an affinity for purple coloration, plain water, and larger entryway sizes for oviposition cups. A prototype ovicup was 3D-printed using purple filament and multiple types of entryways, and used to re-test infusion waters. No particular attraction differences were detected after normalizing for purple color. Comparisons to black 3D-printed cups yielded surprising observations that male mosquitoes also aggregated on purple cups while females sheltered, but not necessarily oviposited, in black cups. Although this was only a laboratory-based assessment, these studies provide useful information for future field trials of potential oviposition traps for surveillance of Ae. sierrensis.

Temperature Influence on Aedes aegypti Oviposition in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

The establishment and oviposition of Aedes aegypti can vary from one location to another partially due to differing temperature and precipitation. In 2017, Ae. aegypti was first detected in Merced in the Central Valley of California. The objectives of this study were to examine the influence of temperature and precipitation on oviposition of Ae. aegypti, and to determine the beginning and end of the seasonal activity of Ae. aegypti in Merced. The study site consisted of a residential area in the north-east region of Merced where Ae. aegypti was first detected in Merced County. Fifty-four residences were randomly selected as ovitrap sites. Ovitraps were placed at field sites weekly for 12 months, from September 27, 2017, to September 27, 2018. Each week, ovitraps were inspected for the presence of mosquito eggs. Egg counts were used to calculate the following oviposition indices: the ovitrap index (OI) (percent of traps positive) and the egg density index (EDI) (eggs/positive traps). Oviposition occurred primarily from May through October, above a minimum temperature of 10°C, and when almost no rainfall occurred (0.5 mm total). During the year, the percent of positive traps per month ranged from approximately 1.2-67.3%, with highest values in June to October (43.9-67.3%). The highest mean monthly EDI was from July to October (34-44.6) and peaked in October at 44.6 eggs/trap. The EDI values are similar to other locations where Ae. aegypti transmits endemic vector-borne disease. These findings provide baseline data for Ae. aegypti control in Merced and the Central Valley of California.

Vertical dispersal of Aedes albopictus within multi-story buildings in downtown Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Shanghai has numerous high-rise apartment and office buildings, but the effects of these high-rise spaces on the vertical dispersal, oviposition and blood feeding behavior of Aedes albopictus are unknown. METHODS: In six multi-story building blocks in downtown Shanghai, 174 mosq-ovitraps (MOT) were placed both indoors and outdoors for Ae. albopictus collection at different vertical heights from the 1st to 6th floors and a terrace on the 8th floor. Collections were made for 4 months. The human landing catch (HLC) method for Ae. albopictus monitoring was also conducted on 6 consecutive days on six floors of two of the six buildings to study the feeding behavior of Ae. albopictus at different heights. RESULTS: Both MOTs and HLCs collected Ae. albopictus at all monitored heights. The vertical distribution, oviposition pattern and biting behavior varied significantly among the seven heights (1st-6th floors and 8th floor) (mosq-ovitrap index (MOI): X2 = 140.616, df = 6, P < 0.001; HLC: F (5, 138) = 15.111, P < 0.001). The MOI at low heights (1st + 2nd floors) was significantly higher than that at medium (3rd + 4th floor, P < 0.001) and high heights (5th + 6th floors, P < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in the MOI for the 3rd-6th floors. The outdoor MOIs were significantly higher than indoor MOIs at all heights (outdoor 23.09% vs. indoor 9.58%, X2 = 74.121, df = 1, P < 0.001). Aedes albopictus HLC density on the ground floor was significantly higher than that on all other heights (5.04 vs. 0.13, 0.29, 0.58, 0.79 and 1.50 per half hour, P < 0.05), while no difference was detected among the heights above the ground floor (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Aedes albopictus is more common near the ground level, but it can easily disperse to higher floors in the multi-story buildings of urban Shanghai. No significant differences in Ae. albopictus density were detected within the 3rd-6th floors using MOT or HLC. This suggests that Ae. albopictus might also disperse to areas above the 6th floor and seek hosts there. Aedes albopictus prefers to oviposit outdoors; however, Ae. albopictus was also able to inhabit, oviposit and engage in blood-feeding behavior indoors on different floors. The three-dimensional dispersal pattern of Ae. albopictus in urban areas could facilitate arbovirus transmission and increase the difficulty of dengue control.

Vertical Distribution of Oviposition and Temporal Segregation of Arbovirus Vector Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a Fragment of the Atlantic Forest, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Culicid species, which include potential vectors of yellow fever, are diverse and abundant, with species commonly co-occurring in certain sites. Studying these species can provide important insights into their vector potential and, consequently, epizootic cycles of arboviruses carried about by these vectors. Here, we evaluated the vertical distribution and temporal segregation of mosquito oviposition with emphasis on arbovirus vectors in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Two sampling points were selected: Fazenda Três Montes and the Reserva Natural de Propriedade Privada Morro Grande. Collections were carried out at two sites using 10 ovitraps installed on the vegetation cover at different heights (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 m above ground level) and monitored monthly from July 2018 to December 2020. The hypotheses of temporal and vertical stratification were tested through a PERMANOVA, and the relationship of each species with the vertical distribution was evaluated individually through a correlation analysis. We collected a total of 3075 eggs, including four species of medical importance: Haemagogus leucocelaenus (n = 1513), Haemagogus janthinomys (n = 16), Aedes albopictus (n = 1097), and Aedes terrens (n = 449). We found that Hg. leucocelaenus had a positive relationship with height, exhibiting behavior that appears to benefit from higher heights. The abundance of Ae. terrens seemed to follow Hg. leucocelaenus, although we did not find a relationship with height for the former species. On the other hand, Ae. albopictus exhibited a negative relationship with height, becoming absent or outnumbered at higher strata. Our study site has already presented evidence of recent transmission of the wild yellow fever virus, supporting the need to carefully monitor the emergence of febrile diseases among residents in the surrounding areas and the local population.

Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Persistence of Wolbachia-Infected Aedes aegypti in the Mentari Court, Malaysia.

Dengue is endemic in Malaysia, and vector control strategies are vital to reduce dengue transmission. The Wolbachia strain wAlbB carried by both sexes of Ae. aegypti was released in Mentari Court, a high-rise residential site, in October 2017 and stopped after 20 weeks. Wolbachia frequencies are still being monitored at multiple traps across this site, providing an opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal distribution of Wolbachia and mosquito density with respect to year, residential block, and floor, using spatial interpolation in ArcGIS, GLMs, and contingency analyses. In just 12 weeks, Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes were established right across the Mentari Court site with an overall infection frequency of >90%. To date, the Wolbachia frequency of Ae. aegypti has remained high in all areas across the site despite releases finishing four years ago. Nevertheless, the Wolbachia invaded more rapidly in some residential blocks than others, and also showed a relatively higher frequency on the eighth floor. The Ae. aegypti index tended to differ somewhat between residential blocks, whilst the Ae. albopictus index was relatively higher at the top and bottom floors of buildings. In Mentari Court, only a short release period was required to infiltrate Wolbachia completely and stably into the natural population. The results inform future releases in comparable sites in a dengue control programme.

Surveillance of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) as a Method for Prevention of Arbovirus Transmission in Urban and Seaport Areas of the Southern Coast of Brazil.

Entomological surveillance is a traditional method to measure presence, distribution, and seasonal variation of vectors in urban areas, and is essential to targeted control activities to prevent arbovirus transmission. Ovitraps as one of the main components of surveillance programs, enable determination of female oviposition behavior, as well as identification of seasonal variations of the vector. The goals of this study were 1) to detect the mosquitos (Aedes aegypti Linnaeus) and (Aedes albopictus Skuse) (Diptera:Culicidae), in Paranaguá city, 2) to assess ovitrap positive index (OPI), egg density index (EDI), and their relationship with meteorological variables, and 3) to evaluate the vertical transmission of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. The study was carried out in urban areas of Paranaguá city, an important port region of Brazil, from June 2017 to November 2018. The city was divided into 16 area-clusters. Three-hundred and thirty-one ovitraps were installed monthly, remaining for four days in selected places. Kernel density maps were done to compare the spatiotemporal distribution of collected eggs. Areas which maintained constant oviposition associated with vector activity were identified and were found to overlap the area-clusters with the highest EDI. As viral RNA was not detected, vertical transmission was likely not a maintenance mechanism of arbovirus circulation in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus vectors. This study reiterates the importance, efficiency, and feasibility of ovitraps to monitor the presence and dynamics of Aedes spp. populations.

Applicability of the Mexican ovitrap system for Aedes vector surveillance in Colombia.

Ovitraps can detect Aedes vectors at an early stage and can serve as an alarm indicator for outbreak prediction. This study aimed to summarize the available literature about the ovitrap system and to determine its feasibility, required resources and costs when installing and maintaining this vector surveillance system in the municipality of Los Patios, Colombia. A scoping review to assess the role of ovitraps as a tool for Aedes vector surveillance was conducted. The subsequent fieldwork consisted of mapping the municipality, manufacturing, and installing 40 ovitraps in 10 blocks, revising them weekly for 4 weeks by two half-time employed vector control technicians, and carrying out a cost analysis. A total of 38 studies were included in this review showing that ovitraps had a better performance than other entomological surveillance methods and a positive correlation with other entomological and disease variables. From the field results over 4 weeks, a high proportion of positive ovitraps (80%, 90%, 75%, 97.5%) and positive blocks (100%) as well as a good acceptance by house owners (76.9%), were identified. Operational indicators such as average installation time of the ovitraps (10h15 m), weekly reading and reinstallation (on average 7h27 m) and the cost of the intervention (COL$1,142,304.47/US$297) were calculated. Literature shows that ovitraps are sensitive to detect the presence of Aedes mosquitoes, providing data efficiently and timely for outbreak prediction. The field testing showed it is an affordable and feasible method in the context of a Colombian municipality and similar endemic areas.

Evaluation of a new type of mosquito trap in monitoring Aedes in community / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo develop a new mosquito trap and evaluate its effectiveness in Aedes albopictus monitoring in an urban community. MethodsThe first-round field test was conducted in a well-greened residential neighborhood with high Aedes albopictus density calculated by human landing catch in August 2022， in Minhang District， Shanghai. 65 new test containers with different designs were randomly deployed in the field. These trap containers were designed by different material， color， hole size， shape and top cover colors. The results of mosquito and its egg trapping were observed and recorded continuously for 7 days. In September 2022， the second round of experiment was conducted. After comparison， an optimized trap container was designed. 140 new trap containers were compared with 140 traditional ones to evaluate the effectiveness. SPSS 22.5 software was used for statistical analysis. ResultsThere were significant changes in the outcome of mosquito and its egg trapping on the 4th and 7th day of the pre-experiment deployment of the three kinds of containers. The 200 ml container cup with three round holes in the body had the best effect on trapping mosquitos and eggs， with a positive rate of 45.5% （5/11）， while other type of contrainer cup only had a positive rate of 12% （6/50） in trapping mosquitos and eggs. Statistical significant differences （χ2=45.443，P <0.001） existed between the two tpyes of cups within the first kind of trapping container. The second kind of trapping container showed round and oval holes had better effect on mosquito trapping， with a positive rate of 55.6% （5/9）. The third kind of hanging container can resist strong wind. The best mosquito trapping effect of three round holes was 66.7% （2/3）. The container wall should not be made of rough material， which was easy to cause the escape of adult mosquitoes. Combined with the three types of containers， the new contariner should be top transparent， and the top 1/3 of the side should paint black with 3 round holes. The effective recovery rate of the new container was higher than that of the traditional one under the exclusion of human factors， and had the advantage of preventing rain， wind and rollover， but the effect of trapping mosquito and its egg was comparable to the traditional one（χ2D4=0.197，P=0.658； χ2D7=0.125 ，P=0.724）. ConclusionThis new type of mosquito trap is worth further exploration and research， which can improve the trapping efficiency， overall recovery rate and the accurate confirmation of the mosquito density.

Mosquito vector diversity and abundance in southern Botswana, in a global context of emerging pathogen transmission.

Background: The continued spread of infectious diseases by mosquitoes remains a formidable obstacle to the well-being of the people all over the world. Arboviruses are spread from one vertebrate host to another by vectors through intricate transmission cycles that involve the virus, the vertebrate host, and the vector. It is essential to acquire a better understanding of the current abundance and distribution of major vectors in order to adequately prepare for the possibility of arbovirus outbreaks. This is because the abundance and distribution of these major vectors determines the human populations that are at risk for the diseases that they transmit. The effects of climate change on the amount of mosquitoes and their ability to survive the seasons have had a substantial impact on the spread of diseases that are transmitted by vectors in many different parts of Botswana. Methods: The purpose was to collect mosquito samples in Gaborone and the neighboring areas in southern Botswana, including border stations. We collected different stages of the mosquito from each place, raised them to maturity, and then identified them. Both morphological and genetic studies were utilized in order to successfully identify the organism. The species of Culex mosquitoes accounted for 88.3% of the 5177 mosquitoes that were collected and identified, whereas the species of Aedes aegypti and Anopheles mosquitoes accounted for 11.5% and 0.2% respectively. Conclusions: These findings give entomological baseline data that will aid in the study of vectorial patterns and the estimation of future arboviral hazards provided by mosquitoes. Additionally, these findings document the diversity and abundance of mosquito species.

Community surveillance of Aedes albopictus associated with Wolbachia detection in low-rise residential areas in Selangor, Malaysia.

The study assessed the distribution of Malaysian Ae. albopictus adults associated with Wolbachia detection in low-rise residential areas using a modified sticky ovitrap (MSO). The relationship between Ae. albopictus and climatological parameters were also determined. Fifty-two weeks of surveillance using 273 MSOs were conducted in four installation areas of eleven sampling sites. Specimens were subjected to PCR using wsp-specific primers for Wolbachia detection. The relationship between climatological parameters and Ae. albopictus captured were analyzed using Spearman rank correlation coefficient test. The majority of Ae. albopictus were captured in residential houses (87%), followed by playgrounds or parks (11.5%), guardhouses (1%), and community halls (0.5%). Most of the specimens (92%) were superinfected with wAlbA and wAlbB strains. A positive correlation with no significant association was found for rainfall (r = 0.015, P = 0.072), relative humidity (r = 0.005, P = 0.526), minimum temperature (r = 0.005, P = 0.516), and mean temperature (r = 0.003, P = 0.689). MSO effectively captured a high number of Ae. albopictus that was determined to be the predominant mosquito species found in low-rise residential areas. The adult collection is not only influenced by climatological parameters but also by other factors, including environmental conditions and general sanitation status.

Spatio-Temporal Modelling Informing Wolbachia Replacement Releases in a Low Rainfall Climate.

Releases of Aedes aegypti carrying Wolbachia bacteria are known to suppress arbovirus transmission and reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases. In planning for Wolbachia releases in the arid environment of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, we collected entomological data with ovitraps across a 7-month period in four locations. Herein, we show that mosquito presence in basements does not differ from that of non-basement areas of buildings. In modelling mosquito presence across the study sites, we found the spatial structure to be statistically significant in one of the four sites, while a significant spatial structure was found for egg production data across three of the four sites. The length scales of the spatial covariance functions fitted to the egg production data ranged from 143 m to 574 m, indicating that high productivity regions can be extensive in size. Rank-correlation analyses indicated that mosquito presence tended to persist from the dry to wet season, but that egg production ranks at locations could reverse. The data suggest that, in Jeddah, the quality of the local environment for breeding can vary over time. The data support the feasibility of dry season releases but with release numbers needing to be flexible depending on local rates of invasion.

Larval Mortality and Ovipositional Preference in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Induced by the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae).

Entomopathogenic fungi allow chemical-free and environmentally safe vector management. Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin is a promising biological control agent and an important component of integrated vector management. We investigated the mortality of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) larvae exposed to five concentrations of B. bassiana using Mycotrol ESO and adult oviposition behavior to analyze the egg-laying preferences of wild Ae. albopictus in response to different fungal concentrations. We examined the mortality of mid-instars exposed to B. bassiana concentrations of 1 × 104, 1 × 105, 1 × 106, 1 × 107, and 1 × 108 conidia/ml every 24 h for 12 d. In the oviposition behavior study, the fungus was applied to wooden paddles at 1 × 105, 1 × 107, and 1 × 109 conidia/ml, and the paddles were individually placed into quad-ovitraps. Both experiments contained control groups without B. bassiana. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that larval mortality was concentration dependent. The median lethal concentration was 2.43 × 105 conidia/ml on d 12. The median lethal time was 3.68 d at 1 × 106 conidia/ml. Oviposition monitoring revealed no significant difference in egg count between the control and treatment paddles. We observed an inverse relationship between the concentration of B. bassiana and the percentage of paddles with eggs. We concluded that concentrations above 1 × 106 conidia/ml are larvicidal, and Ae. albopictus laid similar numbers of eggs on fungus-impregnated and control wooden substrates; however, they were more likely to oviposit on substrates without B. bassiana. With these findings, we suggest that B. bassiana-infused ovitraps can be used for mosquito population monitoring while also delivering mycopesticides to adult mosquitoes.

The unreachable doorbells of South Texas: community engagement in colonias on the US-Mexico border for mosquito control.

Mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit continue to place millions of people at risk of infection around the world. Novel methods of vector control are being developed to provide public health officials with the necessary tools to prevent disease transmission and reduce local mosquito populations. However, these methods will require public acceptance for a sustainable approach and evaluations at local settings. We present our efforts in community engagement carried out in colonias of the Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas for mosquito surveillance, control, and ecological projects. Along the US-Mexico border the term colonia refers to impoverished communities that are usually inhabited by families of Hispanic heritage. The different engagements were carried out from September 2016 to February 2019; during this time, we had three distinct phases for community engagement. In Phase 1 we show the initial approach to the colonias in which we assessed security and willingness to participate; in Phase 2 we carried out the first recruitment procedure involving community meetings and house-to-house recruitment; and in Phase 3 we conducted a modified recruitment procedure based on community members' input. Our findings show that incorporating community members in the development of communication materials and following their suggestions for engagement allowed us to generate culturally sensitive recruitment materials and to better understand the social relationships and power dynamics within these communities. We were able to effectively reach a larger portion of the community and decrease the dropout rate of participants. Progress gained with building trust in the communities allowed us to convey participant risks and benefits of collaborating with our research projects. Community engagement should be viewed as a key component of any local vector control program as well as for any scientific research project related to vector control. Even in the face of budgetary constraints, small efforts in community engagement go a long way.

Risk-Based Mapping Tools for Surveillance and Control of the Invasive Mosquito Aedes albopictus in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: In Switzerland, Aedes albopictus is well established in Ticino, south of the Alps, where surveillance and control are implemented. The mosquito has also been observed in Swiss cities north of the Alps. Decision-making tools are urgently needed by the local authorities in order to optimize surveillance and control. METHODS: A regularized logistic regression was used to link the long-term dataset of Ae. albopictus occurrence in Ticino with socioenvironmental predictors. The probability of establishment of Ae. albopictus was extrapolated to Switzerland and more finely to the cities of Basel and Zurich. RESULTS: The model performed well, with an AUC of 0.86. Ten socio-environmental predictors were selected as informative, including the road-based distance in minutes of travel by car from the nearest cell established in the previous year. The risk maps showed high suitability for Ae. albopictus establishment in the Central Plateau, the area of Basel, and the lower Rhone Valley in the Canton of Valais. CONCLUSIONS: The areas identified as suitable for Ae. albopictus establishment are consistent with the actual current findings of tiger mosquito. Our approach provides a useful tool to prompt authorities' intervention in the areas where there is higher risk of introduction and establishment of Ae. albopictus.

From tissue engineering to mosquitoes: biopolymers as tools for developing a novel biomimetic approach to pest management/vector control.

BACKGROUND: Pest management has been facing the spread of invasive species, insecticide resistance phenomena, and concern for the impact of chemical pesticides on human health and the environment. It has tried to deal with them by developing technically efficient and economically sustainable solutions to complement/replace/improve traditional control methods. The renewal has been mainly directed towards less toxic pesticides or enhancing the precision of their delivery to reduce the volume employed and side effects through lure-and-kill approaches based on semiochemicals attractants. However, one of the main pest management problems is that efficacy depends on the effectiveness of the attractant system, limiting its successful employment to semiochemical stimuli-responsive insects. Biomaterial-based and bioinspired/biomimetic solutions that already guide other disciplines (e.g., medical sciences) in developing precision approaches could be a helpful tool to create attractive new strategies to liberate precision pest management from the need for semiochemical stimuli, simplify their integration with bioinsecticides, and foster the use of still underemployed solutions. APPROACH PROPOSED: We propose an innovative approach, called "biomimetic lure-and-kill". It exploits biomimetic principles and biocompatible/biodegradable biopolymers (e.g., natural hydrogels) to develop new substrates that selectively attract insects by reproducing specific natural environmental conditions (biomimetic lure) and kill them by hosting and delivering a natural biopesticide or through mechanical action. Biomimetic lure-and-kill-designed substrates point to provide a new attractive system to develop/improve and make more cost-competitive new and conventional devices (e.g. traps). A first example application is proposed using the tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus as a model. CONCLUSIONS: Biomaterials, particularly in the hydrogel form, can be a useful tool for developing the biomimetic lure-and-kill approach because they can satisfy multiple needs simultaneously (e.g., biomimetic lure, mechanical lethality, biocompatibility, and bioinsecticide growth). Such an approach might be cost-competitive, and with the potential for applicability to several pest species. Moreover, it is already technically feasible, since all the technologies necessary to design and configure materials with specific characteristics are already available on the market.

Influence of abiotic factors on the oviposition of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Northern Paraná, Brazil.

Aedes aegypti is the main vector of dengue in the Americas and is also a transmitter of urban yellow fever arboviruses, Zika, and Chikungunya, all of which have substantial economic impacts on the affected countries. Through mathematical models, the influence of climatic factors on the oviposition of Ae. aegypti was determined. The data were collected in the city of Apucarana, Paraná State, using oviposition traps. Daily data were submitted to a negative binomial regression model (p < 0.05). The analyses were performed using the R statistical program to determine the climatic factors that most influenced oviposition. A Poisson regression showed that the variables temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and precipitation significantly increased the number of eggs. However, using the semi-normal probability graph with a simulation envelope, it was determined that the Poisson regression model was not adequate to explain the relationships between the variables. Thus, a negative binomial regression model was used, which overcame the problem of overdispersion, and showed that only temperature affected the increase in the number of eggs, where an increase of 1 °C was expected to result in a 54.03% increase in the number of Ae. aegypti eggs.

Field evaluation of WALS truck-mounted A1 super duty mist sprayer® with VectoBac® WDG against Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae) populations in Manatee County, Florida.

Aedes aegypti, the Dengue and Zika vector, is a domestic mosquito that is difficult to control. The challenge lies in the mosquito's preference to lay its eggs in cryptic habitats such as fence post openings, buckets and bird baths, cups. Additionally, current methods of control are labor-intensive. We employed the WALS strategy to evaluate the operational efficacy of applying VectoBac WDG using a truck-mounted mister to control local populations of Ae. aegypti in urban settings with difficult-to-reach larval mosquito habitats. Our study was conducted in Cortez (Manatee County), Florida, USA (27° 27' N, 82° 40' W). We selected two study sites, one untreated control (21.9 ha) and one treatment site (23.1 ha) where historical data have shown high populations of Ae. aegypti based on weekly ovitrap surveillance. Weekly BGs and ovitraps (10-15 traps/site) were deployed to monitor adult population dynamics. A total of 50 bioassay jars were placed in the field each afternoon of the Bti application (8 application events) at fixed locations to collect droplets and gauge efficacy. We found significant reduction in female adults (P = 0.0002) and landing rate counts (P = 0.0058) as a result of treatment. Larval bioassays during the eight applications confirmed Bti deposit in a variety of coverage types regardless of placement in the yards. WALS applications with a truck-mounted mister can be effective at reducing disease carrying mosquito populations in residential areas and can be implemented in an integrated vector management program. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42452-021-04893-x.

Assessment of Various Colors Combined with Insecticides in Devising Ovitraps as Attracting and Killing Tools for Mosquitoes.

Dengue virus, transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, is the most important emerging viral disease, infecting more than 50 million people annually. Currently used sticky traps are useful tools for monitoring and controlling Ae. aegypti. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the attraction of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes using various colors, materials and insecticides. The laboratory and field assessed the four different colors of ovitraps (blue, green, black and transparent). Among the tested ovitraps, the black ovitraps showed the highest number of eggs (348.8) in the laboratory and maximum eggs (80.0) in field trials. In addition, six different materials (casein, urea, yeast, fish meal, chicken meal and water) were also used to evaluate mosquito's attraction. In our results, the highest number of eggs were collected with fish meal having 0.5% concentration in both laboratory (195.17) and the field (100.7). In laboratory trials, the Deltamethrin treated ovitraps (treated with Deltamethrin) significantly trapped and killed the highest percent of female Ae. aegypti (91.5%) compared to untreated (not-treated with Deltamethrin) ovitraps (3.3%). In field trials, the lethality was determined by installing 10 lethal ovitraps in one block and 10 untreated ovitraps in another block. The results indicate a significant reduction in eggs collected from the treated block (727 eggs) as compared to the untreated block (1865 eggs). The data also reveal that the ovitrap positive index (50) and egg density index (24.3) were also low in treated areas than in untreated areas, 83.3 and 37.3, respectively. It is concluded that the lethal ovitraps significantly reduced the Ae. aegypti population and thus could be considered an integral part of the integrated vector management (IVM) program.