Species Variety of the Calf and Human-Attracted Mosquitoes in Southwest Iran

Background: Any mosquito control methods requires precise information about population dynamics, variety, biology and mosquito habitat. This research assessed Culicid mosquitoes' attraction to a human host and a calf to better understand their behavior. Methods: Adult mosquitoes were sampled in 22 weeks in southwestern Iran's Nur Ali Village from May to October 2015. The mosquitoes were drawn to the person and calf as bait, while the unbaited trap was also used. A substantial statistical difference between attracted mosquitoes to the hosts was determined in the T-test. Results: Within 22 weeks, 29821 mosquitoes were captured. Only 9% were collected from the human baited net trap, 89.1% from the calf baited net trap, and 1.9% from the unbaited net trap. The number of collected female mosquitoes was statistically significantly higher using the calf baited net trap of the total mosquitoes, 916 were randomly identified at the species level by local identification keys. Of these, 63 were Anopheles stephensi (human: 16%, calf: 75% and unbaited: 9%), 83 An. pulcherrimus (human: 27%, calf: 60% and unbaited: 13%), 118 Aedes caspius (human: 24%, calf: 69% and unbaited: 7%), 493 Culex tritaeniorhynchus (human: 52%, calf: 37% and unbaited: 11%), 153 Cx. quin­quefasciatus (human: 44%, calf: 47% and unbaited: 9%), and 6 Cx. theileri (human: 33%, calf: 50% and unbaited: 17%). Conclusion: The obtained results here provide useful insights into the mosquito population and the possibil­ity of using this information as an essential part of integrated vector management regarding the reemergence of malaria or other mosquito-borne.

A field test verifies that pheromones can be useful for sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control in the Great Lakes

Pheromone-baited traps have proven highly effective for managing insect pests by selectively removing reproductively active adults prior to mating. Here, we report a field test of two pheromones produced by the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, which may be useful for controlling pest populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In the Trout River, Michigan, we demonstrated that (i) 90% of actively migrating sea lampreys could be drawn into streams treated with a migratory pheromone and (ii) lampreys were three times more likely to enter a barrier-integrated trap in a treated stream when pheromone was discharged directly through that trap (vs. an adjacent, unbaited trap). In a second experiment, we baited three traps with spermiating males (that are known to release a sex pheromone) to investigate how the quantity and spatial distribution of multiple pheromone signals would affect our ability to trap ovulating females. We found that mature females showed a strong tendency to select traps with multiple males over a trap with a single male when the signals were encountered simultaneously, but not when encountered sequentially. Our results strongly suggest pheromones may prove highly effective as attractants in trap-based management tactics for sea lamprey in the Great Lakes.

Responses of Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) to synthetic repellents in the field

In Zimbabwe, studies were made of the responses of Glossina pallidipes Austen to known and candidate repellents. Various chemicals, dispensed at c. 5–10 mg/h, were placed beside Epsilon traps already baited with a blend of acetone, octenol, 4-methylphenol and 3-n-propylphenol. Pentanoic or hexanoic acids or acetophenone halved the catch and 2-methoxyphenol reduced the catch by 90%. There were no consistent differences in the responses of males and females. Pentanoic acid or acetophenone or 2-methoxyphenol at an unbaited trap reduced the catch by 40%, 75% and 60%, respectively. Baiting traps with a combination of pentanoic acid, acetophenone and 2-methoxyphenol did not reduce the catch below that produced by 2-methoxyphenol alone. Pentanoic acid and 2-methoxyphenol reduced the efficiency of traps from c. 40% to 20% but acetophenone had no significant effect. Acetophenone and 2-methoxyphenol halved the numbers of tsetse attracted to a target baited with acetone, octenol and phenols but none had a significant effect on the proportion that landed. 2-Methoxyphenol significantly reduced the numbers of tsetse attracted to a source of natural ox odour but only pentanoic acid had a significant effect on feeding responses, reducing the proportion that fed on an ox from 59 to 45%. It is concluded that these repellents do not provide any useful degree of protection against trypanosomiasis. In areas where tsetse are abundant (500 bites/ox/day) and infection rates in tsetse are high (>5%) it is highly unlikely that any repellents would be useful. However, in areas where tsetse are less abundant (1 bite/ox/day) and/or infection rates are low (c. 0.5%) the potent, unidentified repellents present in human odour might effectively complement the control of disease using trypanocidal drugs.