Designing Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquito Traps: The Evolution of the Male Aedes Sound Trap by Iterative Evaluation

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This study presents a product profile and describes key developmental trial results concerning the invention of the male Aedes sound trap. This trap contains a sound lure which mimics female mosquito wingbeat frequencies to attract male Aedes aegypti. Male Ae. aegypti capture rates were significantly influenced by the presence of, and large variations in size of, a black trap base. Male capture rates were also influenced by reducing the trap entrance below 2.5 cm (1 inch), but not by variations in sound lure volume, between 63–78 dB, or whether the sound lure tone was played continuously or intermittently. No differences were noted in catch rates of male Ae. aegypti in traps using sound lures set to 450 Hz or 500 Hz, but younger adult males were captured at lower rates than some older male groups. Lastly, when the trap was exposed to windy conditions male Ae. aegypti capture rates were affected to varying degrees, depending on trap orientation relative to the wind and whether the wind was continuous or intermittent. The trap profile and behavioural findings associated with this trap development are relevant to ensuring effective surveillance using this new tool, as well as the development of other mosquito traps. ABSTRACT: Effective surveillance of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, Diptera: Culicidae) is critical to monitoring the impact of vector control measures when mitigating disease transmission by this species. There are benefits to deploying male-specific traps, particularly when a high level of catch-specificity is desired. Here, the rationale behind the developmental process of an entirely new trap which uses a sound lure to capture male Ae. aegypti, the male Aedes sound trap (MAST), is presented as a target product profile with findings from developmental trials of key trap components and performance. Trial results suggest that the presence of a black base associated with the trap influenced male catches as did variations in size of this base, to a degree. Trap entrance shape didn’t influence catch rates, but entrance size did. No significant differences in catch rates were found when sound lures were set to intermittent or continuous playbacks, at volumes between 63–74 dB or frequencies of 450 Hz compared to 500 Hz. Additionally, adult males aged 3 days post-eclosion, were less responsive to sound lures set to 500 Hz than those 4 or 6 days old. Lastly, almost no males were caught when the MAST directly faced continual winds of 1.5 ms(−1), but males were captured at low rates during intermittent winds, or if the trap faced away from the wind. The developmental process to optimising this trap is applicable to the development of alternate mosquito traps beyond Aedes sound traps and provides useful information towards the improved surveillance of these disease vectors.