Oviposition attractants in mosquito surveillance and control

Successful oviposition is necessary to maintain mosquito populations. Manipulating this behavior offers the promise of increasing mosquito surveillance efficacy and reducing mosquito populations. We have investigated the effect of geosmin on the behavior of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. In contrast to flies, geosmin stimulates egg-laying site selection in mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes likely associate geosmin with microbes present in the aquatic habitats of the larvae and are attracted to geosmin producing cyanobacteria. In field trials, we have shown that geosmin can increase egg-laying site selection. Geosmin, which is both expensive and difficult to obtain, can be substituted by beetroot peel extract, providing a cheap and viable means of enhancing mosquito surveillance. We will provide perspective on combining geosmin-rich attractants with larvicides to improve mosquito control.

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