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Lethal ovitrap deployment for Aedes aegypti control: potential implications for non-target organisms
Sharron A Long1, Susan P Jacups2,3, Scott A Ritchie1
1Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, 4870.
Summary
Lethal ovitraps effectively control Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Australia. While attractive to some non-target insects like Collembola and Diptera, they offer a cost-effective, sustainable mosquito control method.
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Dengue fever control in Australia relies on reducing mosquito breeding sites and using lethal ovitraps to manage Aedes aegypti populations.
- Lethal ovitraps are promoted as a sustainable and eco-friendly mosquito control strategy, but their environmental impact on non-target species requires quantification.
Purpose of the Study:
- This research evaluates the ecological impact of lethal ovitraps on non-target organisms during Aedes aegypti control efforts in tropical Australia.
Main Methods:
- Sticky ovitraps were utilized for specimen retention over a 13-month period across 16 diverse sites.
- A comprehensive collection of 988 Aedes aegypti and 44,132 non-target specimens was analyzed to assess species composition and abundance.
Main Results:
- Aedes aegypti constituted only 2.2% of the total collected specimens, ranking as the eighth most dominant taxon.
- Non-target organisms were dominated by Collembola (44.2%), Diptera (36.8%), and Hymenoptera (10.5%). Phoridae comprised 61% of the collected Dipterans.
- Lethal ovitraps attracted a wide array of 90 insect and invertebrate families, with notable attraction to Collembola, Phoridae, Sciaridae, Formicidae, and Culicidae, but minimal attraction to Apidae.
Conclusions:
- Lethal ovitraps demonstrate operational cost-effectiveness and require minimal staff resources for deployment and retrieval in mosquito control programs.
- The study provides crucial data on the non-target effects of lethal ovitraps, informing their sustainable application in integrated mosquito management strategies.
