ATTRACTION OF AEDES-ALBOPICTUS ADULTS TO SOD INFUSION

Aedes albopictus adults were recovered from sod-baited gravid traps at 7 sites in 5 counties of southern and southwestern Illinois in areas ranging from suburban to rural. The attraction of this species to a lu re usually associated with members of the Culex pipiens complex was in vestigated under laboratory and field conditions. Olfactometer and ovi position preference tests in the laboratory showed that Ae. albopictus is attracted to sod infusion and females readily oviposit on substrat es in contact with the infusion. Both males and females responded to t he sod infusion in the olfactometer. The attraction of multiple mosqui to species to sod-baited gravid traps was demonstrated at a waste tire site in Jasper County, Illinois. Females of Ae. albopictus, Aedes tri seriatus, and Culex species were collected from gravid traps placed al ong the edge of woods at distances ranging from 100 to 200 m from the tire site. Only a small percentage of the Ae. albopictus females appea red to be gravid (less than 5%), unlike the majority of Culex and Ae. tristeriatus females.