ATTRACTANT RESTING BOXES FOR RAPID COLLECTION AND SURVEILLANCE OF AEDES-AEGYPTI (L) INSIDE HOUSES

Three different resting station designs made of cardboard covered with black cloth were evaluated for their attractiveness to Aedes aegypti populations resting inside houses in Thailand. Box designs attracted m ore females (but not males) than an open-panel design. Thirty to 60% o f all adult Ae, aegypti resting inside houses were collected by aspira ting from 2-4 resting boxes placed inside houses. Tall boxes (90 cm) d id not attract more females or males than short boxes (45 cm). Forty-t wo percent more females (but fewer males) were attracted to boxes when oviposition bowls were placed inside the boxes. Four boxes per house attracted 32% more mosquitoes than two boxes. Aspirating from artifici al resting stations is an efficient and rapid method for sampling male and teneral, bloodfed, and gravid female Ae. aegypti resting inside h ouses.