Attraction and Trapping of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) with Host Odors in the Laboratory

Volatile constituents of mouse odor were eluted from an adsorbent after collection within a closed-air system, and offered to host-seeking yellowfever mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti (L.), in the laboratory. Gas chromatographic analysis showed that individual mouse odors varied in blend, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In a 2-choice bioassay, sticky traps baited with individual mouse odors caught more female mosquitoes than controls (69% caught on baited traps) in all cases. When 2 traps baited with volatiles from the empty collection system were used, no preference occurred (46 and 54%), and fewer mosquitoes (22% of total) were caught overall than when a baited trap was present (46% of total). Equal numbers of male mosquitoes were caught on baited and control traps. Results demonstrated that Ae. aegypti can be attracted to entrained and eluted host odor without the addition of other attractants.