Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #366796
Title: Laboratory evaluation of boric acid sugar baits against irradiated Aedes aegypti

Author
item ARYAPREMA, VINDHYA - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item BLORE, KAI - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item KLINE, JEDIDIAH - Orise Fellow
item Aldridge, Robert
item Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken
item XUE, RUI-DE - Anastasia Mosquito Control District

Submitted to: Journal of the Florida Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2020
Publication Date: 6/30/2020
Citation: Aryaprema, V.S., Blore, K., Kline, J., Aldridge, R.L., Linthicum, K., Xue, R. 2020. Laboratory evaluation of boric acid sugar baits against irradiated Aedes aegypti. Journal of the Florida Mosquito Control Association. 67:76-79.

Interpretive Summary: Aedes aegypti is a mosquito vector species which transmits diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika to people. Mosquito control for this species is primarily through the removal of immature development habitats augmented by targeted insecticide application. The difficulty in controlling this species of mosquitoes warrants the development of novel and control strategies that are environmentally friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective. Sterile insect technique is one such control strategy that has potential. Sterile insect technique involves the mass-rearing and irradiating male mosquitoes, followed by their release, where they subsequently mate with wild females resulting in fewer of no offspring. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Attractive Sugar Bait (ATSB) control method on the survival of irradiated male and female Ae. aegypti to determine if the simultaneous use of ATSB and SIT will negatively impact on SIT program by killing irradiated sterile males. We conclude that these 2 mosquito control methods should not be used concurrently.

Technical Abstract: The impact of boric acid sugar baits on irradiated and non-irradiated Aedes aegypti was evaluated in the laboratory. The mortality from the toxic sugar baits in both the irradiated and non-irradiated groups were highly significantly different, compared to those of corresponding control groups (t(8)=6.916, p <0.0001 and t(8)=6.451, p<0.005, respectively). Irradiated Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were as susceptible as non-irradiated counterparts to boric acid sugar baits. There was no significant difference in mortality caused by toxic sugar baits between the two sexes (t(10)=0.595, p=0.869 and t(10)=0.169, p=0.869 for irradiated and non-irradiated groups, respectively). The mean cumulative percentage mortality after 48 h of exposure was 84% for irradiated mosquitoes and 76.17% for non-irradiated mosquitoes. Differences in mortalities between 24 h and 48 h time periods were highly significant for both irradiated and non-irradiated groups (t(10)=-6.612, p<0.05 and t(10)=-5.278, p<0.05).