Impact of the insecticide-treated sound traps on an Aedes albopictus population

Abstract

Fifteen sound traps (each based on 50�90-cm black polyethylene sheets, held at 1-m height, and generating 5 s of sound at 400 Hz at 5-s intervals over a 20-min period at 16.30 h) treated with d-cyphenothrin (at 50 ng/cm�) were set in a 2-ha orchard at Gertak Sanggol village in Penang, Malaysia, from 5 to 18 August 1989, to determine the effect on an A. albopictus population. When the population size was estimated at pre- and post-treatment by the mark-release-recapture method and the use of adhesive applied to the sheets surrounding the sound traps, 80.9% of females and 75.6% of males were found to be controlled from the field. There was little change in the mosquito catches using an adhesive sound trap in an untreated area. The insemination rate of females sampled by net sweeping increased from 57 to 100% as more females were removed than males. The necessity of a middle-distance attractant was suggested to raise the efficacy of the traps.ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT: Fifteen d-cyphenothrin-treated sound traps were set in a 2-ha orchard at Gertak Sanggol village in Penang, Malaysia, from August 5 to 18, 1989, to determine the effect on an Aedes albopictus population. When the population size was estimated at pre- and posttreatment by the mark-and-release method and adhesive sound traps, 80.9% of females and 75.6% of males were found to be controlled from the field. Meanwhile, there was little change in the mosquito catches by an adhesive sound trap at an untreated area. The insemination rate of females sampled by net sweeping increased from 57 to 100% as more females were removed than males. Necessity of a middle-distance attractant was suggested to raise the efficacy of traps.[In a following paper (pp. 219-225) Y. Kusakabe and T. Ikeshoji describe the comparative attractancy of physical and chemical stimuli to Ae. aegypti under laboratory conditions and to Ae. albopictus in the field.]