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Student 10-Minute Presentation

Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology

Student

Student Competition

Grad 10-min Competition: MUVE, Behavior, Insecticide Resistance, and Forensic Entomology

Characterizing the resting behavior of Aedes aegypti to advance vector control

Monday, November 11, 2024
10:30 AM – 10:42 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 222 A, PCC
Oral Presentation Student Competition
Aedes aegypti prefers to rest at heights below 1.5 meters and dark colored surfaces. However, few studies have quantified the relative contribution of internal and external factors in driving this preference. Quantifying these factors may allow control programs to improve the efficacy of insecticide applications and assess the evolution of behavioral resistance. We investigated the contribution of sex, feeding-status, color attraction, and microclimate in driving the resting height preferences of Aedes aegypti in experimental huts in Merida, Mexico. Bioassays were done using a cutting edge, high-resolution, artificial intelligence tracking device (Photonic Fence Monitoring Device - PFMD) and various colored-sticky traps. The following factorial design was followed: a) two lines of A. aegypti (laboratory-Rockefeller [ROCK] vs Merida-wildtype [WT]), b) three experimental groups (males vs. unfed females vs. blood-fed females), c) four colors (only black vs only white vs their reciprocal combinations), and d) three sampling times (morning vs. noon vs. afternoon). 1,580 ROCK mosquitoes and 792 WT were collected on sticky traps, with WT significantly resting below 1 meter compared to ROCK (71% vs 52%; Χ2, p < 2.2E-16). Both lines significantly rested more on black vs white surfaces across all four-color conditions regardless of their height (pairwise Χ2, p ≤ 0.003). Afternoon replicates of WT had more counts above 1 meter regardless of color (vs. morning: Χ2, p-value 0.003; vs noon: Χ2 , p-value 0.005). Our findings suggest microclimate, color, and possibly genetics all have an impact in driving resting behavior outcomes for both lab and wild adapted A. aegypti.