Response of Mosquitoes to different Synthetic and Natural olfactory Attractants (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Kopacki rit Nature Park in Eastern Croatia with the aim of testing the efficacy of different natural and synthetic attractants for capturing mosquitoes. The following attractants were used as bait in CDC traps during mosquito sampling: carbon dioxide (dry ice), horse urine, acetone, 1-octen-3-ol, ammonium hydroxide, and the combination of horse urine + acetone. Out of the total of 3248 captured mosquitoes, 96.54% (3133) were trapped by using dry ice as attractant. Horse urine attracted the second largest number of mosquitoes (34), and the least number of mosquitoes (15) was attracted by 1-octen-3-ol. In addition to having attracted the largest number of mosquitoes, dry ice was the most effective in attracting the largest number of different mosquito species (11). Five species were attracted with horse urine + acetone and ammonium hydroxide, which has been used as a mosquito attractant for the first time. The Χ 2 test revealed statistical significance among attractants. Most captured mosquitoes (2404) were Ae vexans, followed by Cx modestus, An messeae with 655 and 133 mosquitoes, respectively. Not a single Culex mosquito was attracted to 1-octen-3-ol.