Comparative Laboratory Study on the Reaction ofAedes aegyptiandAedes albopictusto Different Attractive Cues in a Mosquito Trap

The behavioral responses of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) adults to several attractive cues, as reactions to mosquito traps, are compared in the laboratory, and differences in the primary attractive factors for both species are discussed. Target-attacking frequency of unfed Ae. aegypti females was >30 times that of unfed Ae. albopictus females under simulated conditions. Changes in the percentage of trapped mosquitoes under several attractive conditions using commercial mosquito traps showed that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were trapped 2–3 times faster than Ae. albopictus. For Ae. aegypti, the combination of a visual cue + CO2 alone enhanced attractiveness, whereas both a visual cue + CO2 as well as a visual cue + octenol enhanced Ae. albopictus. The combination of at least three factors, such as a visual cue, CO2, and a chemical cue is thought to be valuable for trapping and estimating the relative adult population sizes of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the field.