Mosquito
Mosquito refers to 2,700 different species of insects. The United States is home to 150 varieties of mosquitoes, most commonly Aedes albopictus (the Asian tiger mosquito), Anopheles quadrimaculatus (a malarial mosquito found in North America), and Culex pipiens (the Northern House mosquito).[1] Mosquito-transmitted diseases include malaria, Yellow Fever, West Nile virus, and Dengue Fever.
Mosquitoes in the genera Aedes and Ochlerotatus are painful and persistent biters, feeding early in the morning, at dusk, and into the evening. Some also bite during the day, especially on cloudy days and in shaded areas. However, they typically do not enter dwellings. They prefer to bite mammals like humans, and they are strong flyers, flying up to many miles.[2] The genus Culex are also painful and persistent biters, and they prefer to attack at dusk and after dark. They frequently enter dwellings, but prefer biting birds over mammals. They are weak fliers.[2] Other genera are Cluiseta (moderately aggressive biters in the evening or in the shade during the day), Psorophora, Coquillettidia, Mansonia, and Anopheles. Anopheles mosquitoes are the only genus to transmit malaria to man.
Contents
How Mosquitoes Identify Hosts
- "It is known that, besides L-lactic acid, there are many attractant compounds from skin emanation, for example, ammonia, 1-octen-3-ol, and some short-chain carboxylic acids. Ammonia, ranging from 17 lg/L to 17 mg/L, makes a significant contribution to the mosquito (Aedes aegypti) attraction behavior when placed together with lactic acid.[3] 1-octen-3-ol is believed to increase the attractiveness of L-lactic and CO2 in field studies.[4] Bosch et al. found that C1–C3 and C5–C8 carboxylic acids, over a wide range of concentration, could enhance the attractiveness of lactic acid.[5] Furthermore, Cork et al. also observed that formic acids elicit the largest amplitude EAG response in the electroantennography (EAG) assay on Anopheles gumbiae Giles.[6] It is obvious that ammonia, 1-octen-3-ol, some short-chain carboxylic acids, and etc make humans attractive to mosquitoes.[7]
Humans differ in their attractiveness to mosquitoes.[8][9][10][11] "Different levels of attraction can be determined by volatile olfactory cues from breath and skin with its associated microorganisms."[12] A 2008 study identified five chemicals found on human skin that make some individuals unattractive to mosquitoes: 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, octanal, nonanal, decanal, and geranylacetone.[12]
Resources and articles
Related Sourcewatch articles
- Mosquito Repellent
- Aedes aegypti (Yellow Fever mosquito)
- Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito)
- Anopheles quadrimaculatus (a malarial mosquito found in North America)
- Culex pipiens (Northern House mosquito)
- Culex quinquefasciatus (Southern House mosquito)
- DEET
- Citronella
- Lemongrass
- Lemon Eucalyptus
- Azadirachta indica (Neem)
- Vanillin
References
- ↑ The Mosquito - Different Species, Accessed June 23, 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Biology, Accessed June 23, 2014.
- ↑ Geier, M.; Bosch, O. J.; Boeckh, J, "Ammonia as an attractive component of host odour for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti," Chem. Senses 1999, 24, 647.
- ↑ Takken, W.; Kline, D. L, "Carbon dioxide and 1-octen-3-ol as mosquito attractants," J. Am. Mosq. Control 1989, 5, 311.
- ↑ Bosch, O. J.; Geier, M.; Boeckh, J, "Contribution of fatty acids to olfactory host finding of female Aedes aegypti," Chem. Senses 2000, 25, 323.
- ↑ Cork, A.; Park, K. C, "Identification of electrophysiologically-active compounds for the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, in human sweat extracts," Med. Vet. Entomol. 1996, 10, 269.
- ↑ Liao S, Song J, Wang Z, Chen J, Fan G, Song Z, Shang S, Chen S, Wang P, "Molecular interactions between terpenoid mosquito repellents and human-secreted attractants," Bioorg Med Chem Lett, 24(3):773-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.12.102, February 1, 2014.
- ↑ U.R. Bernier, D.L. Kline, C.E. Schreck, R.A. Yost, D.R. Barnard, "Chemical analysis of human skin emanations: comparison of volatiles from humans that differ in attraction of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)," J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc., 18 (2002), pp. 186–195.
- ↑ J. Brady, C. Costantini, N. Sagnon, Gibson, M. Coluzzi, "The role of body odours in the relative attractiveness of different men to malarial vectors in Burkina Faso," Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol., 91 (1997), pp. S121–S122.
- ↑ R. Brouwer, "Variations in human body odour as a cause of individual differences of attraction for malaria mosquitoes," Trop. Geogr. Med., 12 (1960), pp. 186–192.
- ↑ B.G.J. Knols, R. De Jong, W. Takken, "Differential attractiveness of isolated humans to mosquitoes in Tanzania," Trans. R Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg., 89 (1995), pp. 604–606.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 J.G. Logan, M.A. Birkett, S.J. Clark, S. Powers, N.J. Seal, L.J. Wadhams, A.J. Mordue, J.A. Pickett, "Identification of human-derived volatile chemicals that interfere with attraction of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes," J. Chem. Ecol., 34 (2008), pp. 308–322.
External Resources
External Articles
2014
- Liao S, Song J, Wang Z, Chen J, Fan G, Song Z, Shang S, Chen S, Wang P, "Molecular interactions between terpenoid mosquito repellents and human-secreted attractants," Bioorg Med Chem Lett, 24(3):773-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.12.102, February 1, 2014.
2013
- Song J, Wang Z, Findlater A, Han Z, Jiang Z, Chen J, Zheng W, Hyde S, "Terpenoid mosquito repellents: a combined DFT and QSAR study," Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2013 Mar 1;23(5):1245-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.01.015.
- Mathew N, Ayyanar E, Shanmugavelu S, Muthuswamy K, "Mosquito attractant blends to trap host seeking Aedes aegypti," Parasitol Res. 2013 Mar;112(3):1305-12. doi: 10.1007/s00436-012-3266-2.
- Bohbot JD1, Durand NF, Vinyard BT, Dickens JC, "Functional Development of the Octenol Response in Aedes aegypti," Front Physiol, 4:39. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00039, March 7, 2013.
- Verhulst NO, Beijleveld H, Qiu YT, Maliepaard C, Verduyn W, Haasnoot GW, Claas FH, Mumm R, Bouwmeester HJ, Takken W, van Loon JJ, Smallegange RC, "Relation between HLA genes, human skin volatiles and attractiveness of humans to malaria mosquitoes," Infect Genet Evol. 2013 Aug;18:87-93. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.05.009.
2012
- Hao H, Sun J, Dai J, "Preliminary analysis of several attractants and spatial repellents for the mosquito, Aedes albopictus using an olfactometer," J Insect Sci. 2012;12:76. doi: 10.1673/031.012.7601.
- Kline DL, Bernier UR, Hogsette JA, "Efficacy of three attractant blends tested in combination with carbon dioxide against natural populations of mosquitoes and biting flies at the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge," J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 2012 Jun;28(2):123-7.
2011
- Verhulst NO, Mbadi PA, Kiss GB, Mukabana WR, van Loon JJ, Takken W, Smallegange RC, "Improvement of a synthetic lure for Anopheles gambiae using compounds produced by human skin microbiota," Malar J. 2011 Feb 8;10(1):28. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-28.
- Qiu YT, Smallegange RC, VAN Loon JJ, Takken W, "Behavioural responses of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto to components of human breath, sweat and urine depend on mixture composition and concentration," Med Vet Entomol. 2011 Sep;25(3):247-55. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2010.00924.x. Epub 2010 Nov 25.
2010
- Allan SA, Bernier UR, Kline DL, "Laboratory evaluation of lactic acid on attraction of Culex spp. (Diptera: Culicidae)," J Vector Ecol. 2010 Dec;35(2):318-24. doi: 10.1111/j.1948-7134.2010.00089.x.
2000s
- Bosch, O. J.; Geier, M.; Boeckh, J, "Contribution of fatty acids to olfactory host finding of female Aedes aegypti," Chem. Senses 2000, 25, 323.
- Steib BM, Geier M, Boeckh J, "The effect of lactic acid on odour-related host preference of yellow fever mosquitoes," Chem Senses. 2001 Jun;26(5):523-8.
- Dekker T1, Steib B, Cardé RT, Geier M, "L-lactic acid: a human-signifying host cue for the anthropophilic mosquito Anopheles gambiae," Med Vet Entomol. 2002 Mar;16(1):91-8.
- Bernier UR, Kline DL, Posey KH, Booth MM, Yost RA, Barnard DR, "Synergistic attraction of Aedes aegypti (L.) to binary blends of L-lactic acid and acetone, dichloromethane, or dimethyl disulfide," J Med Entomol. 2003 Sep;40(5):653-6.
- Smallegange RC, Qiu YT, van Loon JJ, Takken W, "Synergism between ammonia, lactic acid and carboxylic acids as kairomones in the host-seeking behaviour of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (Diptera: Culicidae)," Chem Senses. 2005 Feb;30(2):145-52.
- Williams CR1, Ritchie SA, Russell RC, Eiras AE, Kline DL, Geier M, "Geographic variation in attraction to human odor compounds by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae): a laboratory study," J Chem Ecol. 2006 Aug;32(8):1625-34. Epub 2006 Jul 26.
- Bernier UR, Kline DL, Allan SA, Barnard DR, "Laboratory comparison of Aedes aegypti attraction to human odors and to synthetic human odor compounds and blends," J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 2007 Sep;23(3):288-93.
1990s
- Cork, A.; Park, K. C, "Identification of electrophysiologically-active compounds for the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, in human sweat extracts," Med. Vet. Entomol. 1996, 10, 269.
- Geier, M.; Bosch, O. J.; Boeckh, J, "Ammonia as an attractive component of host odour for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti," Chem. Senses 1999, 24, 647.
- Dogan EB, Ayres JW, Rossignol PA, "Behavioural mode of action of deet: inhibition of lactic acid attraction," Med Vet Entomol. 1999 Feb;13(1):97-100.
1980s
- Takken, W.; Kline, D. L, "Carbon dioxide and 1-octen-3-ol as mosquito attractants," J. Am. Mosq. Control 1989, 5, 311.