Effectiveness of Mosquito Traps
The usage of attractants determines how effective mosquito traps may be.
Specific olfactory, optical, and thermal signals are frequently used in commercially available traps to draw female mosquitoes seeking blood meals. The efficiency of mosquito traps depends on the effectiveness of the attractants, clever positioning of the traps, and frequent trap maintenance. These attractants are typically used in combination.
Aromatic Cues
Dioxide of Carbon
When searching for hosts to feed on blood, mosquitoes can detect elevated carbon dioxide levels in the air.
Therefore, a lot of commercial mosquito traps are made to emit plumes of carbon dioxide that resemble human exhale.
These traps, which need frequent and appropriate maintenance, either burn propane or use dry ice and carbon dioxide cylinders to make carbon dioxide.
Despite the fact that these claims have not been verified, several items advertise the emission of carbon dioxide from photo-catalytic processes.
Traps with carbon dioxide as a bait are attracted to all mosquito species.
Acid lactate
A molecule called lactic acid is frequently present in perspiration after physical activity or after eating a meal with a lot of salt or potassium.
Previous research has shown a link between human skin's lactic acid content and its appeal to anthropophilic (human-seeking) mosquito species like Aedes aegypti.
Studies have also shown that the addition of lactic acid to other compounds like carbon dioxide and ammonia may help mosquito traps work more effectively.
Octenol
Octenol, which is produced when the body breaks down linoleic acid, is a chemical that is present in breath and sweat.
More than 340 chemical smells generated by human skin, including octenol, may be detected by mosquito antennae.
In order to get mosquitoes into the trap, some utilise octenol lures.
To maintain their effectiveness, octenol cartridges or strips in mosquito traps must be routinely changed.
Pheromone
The antennae of anthropophilic mosquitoes feature specialised semiochemical receptors that can detect pheromones and other semiochemicals at close range.
According to studies, semiochemicals affect the oviposition locations that gravid female mosquitoes choose when deciding where to lay their eggs.
In addition to laying their eggs, female mosquitoes release pheromones that alert and guide other gravid mosquitoes in finding suitable mating grounds.
Additionally, studies have shown that gravid females prefer to lay their eggs in water that contains conspecific larvae (larvae of the same species).
Light
Mosquitoes have two straightforward, light-sensitive eyes.
For mosquito species like the Culex and Anopheles species that are active and bite at night, light-based traps work well.
Such traps are ineffective for catching Aedes aegypti, which is mostly a daytime biter and is the main vector for dengue and zika viruses.
Colour
It is thought that mosquitoes that are active during the day, like the Aedes species, have more developed colour perception than mosquitoes that are active at night, like the Culex species.
According to studies, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are sensitive to a wide variety of light spectrums, from ultraviolet to orange. Studies have also shown that orange-lit objects, such lamposts, draw Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that are looking for hosts.
When looking for oviposition sites, gravid female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes like black ovitraps.
