Laboratory Evaluation of a Novel Lethal Ovitrap for Control of Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) are known to flourish in a variety of natural and residential habitats and are competent vectors of at least 22 different arboviruses, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Their global distribution, anthropophilic nature, and vector competency make them species of interest for control. A novel durable dual-action lethal ovitrap (DDALO) with combined larviciding and adulticiding effects, as well as a slow-release polymer (isobutyl methacrylate), was designed to target Ae. aegypti. The use of the DDALO resulted in high adult mosquito mortality (~95-100%) in no-choice laboratory cage studies targeting gravid females and successfully prevented all deposited eggs from hatching. Aging of the traps caused some loss in activity over time, but they still caused adult mortality (~50%) and continued to prevent successful hatching of eggs for 6 mo. Oviposition preference studies resulted in ~4.5 times as many larvae developing in untreated DDALOs compared with the other containers combined. Small-cage multigenerational studies resulted in significantly lower populations of adult mosquitoes in cages containing treated DDALOs after 4 wk. Successful laboratory studies show that the DDALO appears to be a promising tool that could be used for controlling wild vector populations of Ae. aegypti in combination with other mosquito control practices.