Evaluation of carbon dioxide, 1-octen-3-ol, and lactic acid as baits in Mosquito Magnet™ Pro traps for Aedes albopictus in North Central Florida

The impact of the attractants 1-octen-3-ol (octenol) and L-lactic acid (Lurex (TM)) on collection of Aedes albopictus in Suburban backyards was assessed in Mosquito Magnet (TM) Pro traps. These carbon dioxide-producing traps were additionally baited with commercial formulated lures with octenol, lactic acid, octenol + lactic acid, or no attractant (control) and evaluated in 4 residential sites. Three repetitions of the study resulted in the total collection of 1,321 Ae. albopictus. Significantly more Ae. albopictus were captured in traps baited with octenol + lactic acid than in traps baited only with octenol. Lactic acid-baited and control trap captures were not significantly different from octenol + lactic acid- or octenol-baited trap totals. Octenol- + lactic acid-baited traps collected 36.2% and 52.0% more Ae. albopictus than lactic acid-baited and control traps, respectively. Male Ae. albopictus accounted for 26.7% of the total capture. Other mosquito species collected in sufficient numbers for analysis included Cx. nigripalpus, Ochlerotatus infirmatus, Psorophora ferox, and Cx. erraticus. Larger numbers of these species were collected in traps that were unbaited or baited with only octenol than in traps baited with lactic acid or octenol + lactic acid.