Session: Artificial Intelligence in Mosquito and Vector Control/Behavior/Biology/Genetics
159 - Dancing in the purple rain: color affinity and oviposition choices in the Western tree-hole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis (Diptera: Culicidae).
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
5:00pm – 5:10pm
Location: D3
Abstract: The western treehole mosquito is a pestiferous day-biting mosquito with a range extending the entire pacific seaboard and looping down to portions of the intermountain west. As a heartworm vector and urban opportunist, it demands at least some level of surveillance to understand its abundance. However, the species is refractory to a majority of conventional wisdoms for tracking mosquitoes. To attempt to find more options for Ae. sierrensis surveillance, a variety of oviposition attractants were evaluated in arena-style choice assays using colony reared adults. Among a gamut of alfalfa, oak, and beet infusions combined with color investigation and ovicup structure, it was ultimately found that Ae. sierrensis have an affinity for purple shades, plain water, and larger entryway sizes for the cup. A prototype cup was 3D printed using purple filament and suitable entryways, and used to re-test infusion waters. No particular attraction differences were detected after normalizing for the purple color. Comparisons to black 3D printed cups yielded unexpected observations that male mosquitoes aggregated on purple cups while females sheltered, but not necessarily oviposited, in black cups. Although this is only a laboratory development, plans for field validation will be informed with insightful findings from literature to try to maximize success in future study.
