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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #187683
Title: LABORATORY EVALUATION OF 21 INSECT REPELLENTS AS LARVICIDES AND AS OVIPOSITION DETERRENTS OF AEDES ALBOPICTUS (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

Author
item XUE, RUI - ANASTASIA MOSQUITO CONTRO
item Barnard, Donald
item ARSHAD, ALI - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: American Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/24/2005
Publication Date: 3/1/2006
Citation: Xue, R.D., Barnard, D.R., Arshad, A. 2006. Laboratory evaluation of 21 insect repellents as larvicides and as oviposition deterrents of aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae). American Mosquito Control Association. 22(1) 126-130.

Interpretive Summary: Mosquitoes transmit disease agents that cause sickness and death in animals and humans. The best way to prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne disease is to control the mosquito vector. In this regard, it is easier and more effective to control the mosquito larva than it is to control the adult. In an effort to develop new and improved methods for this purpose, scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL in cooperation with scientists from the University of Florida identified and tested synthetic and natural product-based mosquito repellents for their ability to prevent egg-laying (oviposition) by female mosquitoes and to kill mosquito larvae. Many of the repellents were found to be effective oviposition deterrents and to have larvicidal activity against mosquitoes that transmit dengue and West Nile viruses to humans and animals. Although it may be too costly to use the repellents for area-wide mosquito control, they could be effective for this purpose if targeted at container-inhabiting mosquitoes in urban and suburban environments.

Technical Abstract: Twenty one commercial insect repellent products, including 12 natural, 6 deet-based, and 3 other synthetic organic, were evaluated as larvicides and as oviposition deterrents of Aedes albopictus. Ten of the 12 natural products at 0.1% concentration provided 57-100% mortality of laboratory-reared 4th instar Ae. albopictus larvae at 24 h posttreatment. Five of the 6 deet-based products and 3 other synthetic organic repellents at 0.1% concentration induced 87-100% larval mortality at 24 h posttreatment. All 12 natural products proved highly effective oviposition deterrents of Ae. albopictus and resulted in 76-100% effective repellency at 24 h post-exposure. The 6 deet-based repellents and the other 3 synthetic organic repellents caused 84-100% effective oviposition repellency of Ae. albopictus at 24 h post-exposure. Several natural repellents previously shown to have minimal protection from mosquito bites proved effective oviposition deterrents. Some commercial topical repellents have good potential for development and use in management of container-inhabiting mosquitoes because they deter oviposition and kill larvae.