Evaluation of Several Novel Alkynols, Alkenols, and Selected Host Odor Blends as Attractants to Female Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus

Abstract

The compound 1-octen-3-ol is a strong attractant for some mosquito species. Based on chemical structure, this may be due to a terminal site of unsaturation or high electron density, a structural capability for hydrogen bonding, e.g., -OH, -NH2, NHR, NR2, etc., a saturated hydrocarbon chain of a certain minimum length, and a certain relative distance between the region of high electron density and the alcohol (or other hydrogen-bonding) functional group. Based on this hypothesis, 4 novel alkynol (triple-bonded) analogs were synthesized and evaluated alone or in combination with acetone and dimethyl disulfide, and with and without carbon dioxide in Mosquito Magnet-X suction traps. Attraction of laboratory-reared adult Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus to these analogs and combinations was compared to 1-octen-3-ol as a standard in semi-field trials. For both species none of the alkynols, with and without carbon dioxide or acetone and dimethyl disulfide, were significantly different from 1-octen-3-ol. The compounds 2-octyn-4-ol and 2-nonyn-4-ol alone and with carbon dioxide suppressed Cx. quinquefasciatus collections. An additional 6 alkenol (double-bonded) analogs were tested in mixtures with 3-n-propylphenol and 4-methylphenol in a ratio of 4:1:8, respectively. Using the same trapping methods, Cx. quinquefasciatus catches containing 3-decen-1-ol were increased nearly 3-fold when combined with carbon dioxide. Aedes albopictus collections in traps with the 3-decen-1-ol/phenol mixture and carbon dioxide were significantly greater than similar traps with 1-octen-3-ol. Traps baited with the phenol blends that incorporated (Z)-3-nonen-1-ol, (Z)-8-nonen-3-ol, or 1-octen-3-ol were considerably suppressed in the presence of carbon dioxide.