Evaluation of 1-octen-3-ol, carbon dioxide, and light as attractants for mosquitoes associated with two distinct habitats in North Carolina

Field studies were conducted in North Carolina to determine the responses o f mosquitoes found in salt marsh and inland creek flood plain areas to 1-oc ten-3-ol (octenol), carbon dioxide (CO2), and light in various combinations with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) light traps. Over 56,000 adult mosq uito specimens of 12 species in 4 genera were collected in the salt marsh. They exhibited a general response pattern of octenol + CO2 + light > CO2 light = octenol + CO2 > octenol + light > octenol alone. Significantly, mor e Aedes sollicitans, Ae. taeniorhynchus, Anopheles bradleyi, and Culex sali narius were attracted to octenol + CO2 + light than to CO2 + light. Over 19 ,000 specimens of 24 species in 7 genera were collected in the inland creek flood plain. Although the response patterns to the attractants were simila r to those in the salt marsh area, there was no significant difference betw een octenol + CO2 + light and CO2 + light. Aedes vexans, An. crucians, and An. punctipennis were attracted nearly equally to these two attractant comb inations. These studies demonstrate that responses to combinations of these attractants are species specific. However, different combinations of attra ctants can significantly increase the collection of targeted species import ant in arbovirus transmission. The use of these combinations would be very beneficial in mosquito-borne virus surveillance studies. The use of octenol by itself or in conjunction with light was found the least useful for coll ecting mosquitoes in both habitats.