Host-Finding and Repulsion of Aedes aegypti

Abstract

The spontaneous activation of Aedes aegypti, and their responses to external stimuli (especially changes in temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration) have been analyzed in a way that allows the controlling neural mechanisms to be inferred. In general, the flying insect turns back on leaving a favorable air stream, but does not turn on entering one. The normal attack program reduces to four basic steps: a general search initiated by a small rise in the CO2 level, no turn when the insect enters the "host stream" (i.e., the convective or other air current whose temperature and/or relative humidity has been modified by the host), an induced turn on leaving the host stream, and a visual landing. Repellents resemble CO2 in activating previously resting mosquitoes. If, however, the host stream contains a repellent vapor, the insect is made to turn on entering the host stream and is prevented from turning on leaving it. Thus the repellent vapor reverses the normal response to the host stream in two ways that are vital to success in locating a warm-blooded host. It also tends to inhibit probing. The antennal setae through which the various environmental influences are perceived can be inferred from a quantitative consideration of the responses.

Lactic acid-sensitive receptors on the antennae of the mosquito,Aedes aegypti

“…The ability of CO2 alone to act as a mosquito attractant has been well documented in a number of behavioral investigations (Roth and Willis, 1952;Daykin et al, 1965). Acree et al (1968) reported that COz was an attractant when tested in combination with L-LA, but reported that neither was effective when tested separately under their conditions.…”

Carbon dioxide instantly sensitizes female yellow fever mosquitoes to human skin odours

“…Upwind turning in odour plumes also has been recorded for tsetse and stable flies (Colvin et al, 1989;Paynter and Brady, 1993;Schofield and Brady, 1997) in response to CO 2 , octenol and acetone odours. In a different bioassay setup using vertical, odour-laden convection currents, Daykin et al (1965) reported increased turning of Ae. aegypti when leaving but not when entering a skin-odour plume.…”

“…most attractants and activators), and close range (<1·m) if sensed near the host (e.g. cues inducing landing and biting; Daykin et al, 1965;Gillies, 1980;Sutcliffe, 1987;De Jong and Knols, 1995;Dekker et al, 1998). For hematophagous insects, CO 2 is generally considered to be an attractant only when close to the host (e.g.…”

Modeling and Simulations of Mosquito Dispersal. The Case of Aedes albopictus

“…When mosquitoes are not subject to stimuli, it is possible to assume that they move randomly in any direction [9]. This leads to a diffusion equation which can be extended to take into account the landscape heterogeneity or correlated random walk.…”