COMPARISON OF REPELLENT EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST THREE MOSQUITO SPECIES

Abstract

This study quantified the contact irritancy behavioral responses of three important mosquito species (Aedes albopictus, Aedes taeniorhynchus, and Culex pipiens) to three chemicals used in vector control programs. Contact irritancy of these chemicals was tested using a high-throughput screening device (HITTS). Difference between treatment and negative control was highly significant for all species (P<0.0001). DEET did not appear to have any consistent effect of increasing concentration of the chemical irritant (other than increased knockdown) in both Aedes species. However, for each species there appeared to be an increasing escape response with increased concentrations of both permethrin and alpha-cypermethrin. There was no significant difference between species at each concentration tested of both pyrethroids; however, both Aedes species appeared to be more susceptible to knockdown than Culex pipiens with permethrin. Additional work with the HITTS should identify the effective contact irritancy of chemicals that are less detrimental to non-target organisms.