Behavioural Responses of Male Aedes albopictus to Different Volatile Chemical Compounds

Abstract

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has become one of the most important invasive vectors for disease pathogens such as the viruses that cause chikungunya and dengue. Given the medical importance of this disease vector, a number of control programmes involving the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT) have been proposed. The identification of chemical compounds that attract males can be very useful for trapping purposes, especially for monitoring the makeup of the male population during control programmes, such as those involving the use of the SIT. Twenty-eight chemical compounds from different chemical classes were evaluated using a dual-port olfactometer assay. The compounds included known animal, fungal and plant host volatiles, and components of a putative Aedes aegypti pheromone. Many of the compounds were repellent for male mosquitoes, especially at the highest concentration. One compound, decanoic acid, acted as an attractant for males at an intermediate concentration. Decanoic acid did not elicit a significant response from female mosquitoes.