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Insects
Special Issues
Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods
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Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical and Livestock Entomology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 30904

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Brian J. Johnson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Interests: integrated vector management; mosquito surveillance; vector biology and ecology; innovative vector control strategies; applied entomology
Dr. Hervé Christophe Bossin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institut Louis Malardé, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Interests: integrated vector management; mosquito surveillance; vector biology and ecology; innovative vector control strategies; applied entomology; Pacific island ecosystems
Dr. Maylen Gomez Pacheco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Insect Pest Control Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Program of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria
Interests: integrated vector management; mosquito surveillance; vector biology and ecology; innovative vector control strategies; SIT

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among the major vectors of human diseases, mosquitoes are one of the most devastating ones. Urbanization, globalization, and climate change have further accelerated the spread of the insect vectors and outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, and malaria which represent a major threat for  for public health worldwide over last few decades. In addition, the use of insecticides, a common control method used for mosquito control, has shown a negative impact on human health and the environment, and has often led to an increase in the frequency of insect resistance to insecticides. In the light of these problems, there is a need for innovative and sustainable approaches for controlling mosquito vector populations, such as the sterile insect technique (SIT), to improve human health by preventing diseases transmitted by these important pests. Increasing human health through improved vector control is the keystone of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2017–2030 Global Vector Control Response program.

The SIT package for mosquitoes is under intense development and evaluation by the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, and its Member States. The SIT is an innovative and sustainable insect pest control method that involves the mass-rearing and radiation-induced sterilization of a specific target pest. This approach relies on the systematic area-wide release of sterile insects over infested areas, where males mate with wild females resulting in no offspring, consequently reducing the pest population. Integrated with other control methods, the SIT has had success in controlling several high-profile insect pests, most notably fruit flies, moths, tsetse flies, screwworm, and is more recently being applied in pilot projects against mosquito vectors of diseases. The benefits of using this technology include: a significant reduction in crop and livestock production losses; protection of the horticultural and livestock industries through prevention of pest introductions; providing conditions for commodity exports to high value markets without quarantine restrictions; protecting and creating jobs; significant reduction in production and human health costs; and environmental protection through a reduced use of chemical insecticides.

Operational use of the SIT against insect pests continues to reveal technical challenges in areas where new technologies are essential for operational viability. Regarding the mosquito SIT package, which is under development, the technologies must be applicable to all applications (i.e., target mosquito species) and useful in all operational environments. Among the key issues to be solved are the handling, packing, transporting, and releasing procedures of sterile males to minimize any potential impacts on survival, dispersal, and sexual performance after release. Effective methods for male population mosquito monitoring are also essential to assess the progress and impact the SIT programme.

An SIT pilot project and later a programme at an operational scale will require several million adult male mosquitoes to be transported and released in the target sites, after being previously sterilized, marked, chilled, and compacted for easy handling and packing, with minimal detrimental impacts on male fitness. The chilling process needed for compacting mosquitoes at suitable high densities without damaging their fitness, requires the use of specialized containers and appropriate cooling systems to ensure a continuous cold chain between the rearing facility and the release site. Aerial release of sterile males, in some cases, can be the most suitable alternative, although it must comply under certain circumstances with specific airspace regulations, especially over large urban areas. For that purpose, drone-based release tools need to be developed and validated in open field conditions.

Alongside release methodologies, improved male-based population monitoring is also essential to the successful evaluation of suppression programmes. Traditionally, the tools used to monitor mosquito populations were designed to attract predominantly female mosquitoes. However, male-specific monitoring tools are critical to the improvement of SIT field applications by allowing operators to better measure sterile male quality and programmatic success. Such monitoring systems will likely include male-specific and possibly species-specific trap designs, attractants, as well as the use of automated surveillance tools. In SIT programmes, the continuous collection of entomological information is vital to providing real-time operational feedback to programme managers and to ensure timely decision making.

In this context, we are pleased to invite you to submit papers for consideration in this Special Issue focused on the handling, transport, release, and monitoring of male mosquitoes as components of the SIT package to control Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes. This Special Issue aims to identify optimal conditions for the chilling, marking, packaging, and transporting of sterile mosquitoes, as well as to explore how these procedures can impact on the sterile male’s quality. It also seeks to explore different approaches to the release of sterile male mosquitoes in a controlled, traceable, and documented manner over urban and rural large areas, with the ability to target specific areas whilst maintaining a high quality of released insects. Lastly, this special issue also aims to identify advances in male-based population monitoring tools for use in the evaluation of an AW-IPM programme with an SIT component to improve the evaluation of male performance after release. Our objective is to publish at least 10 articles, with the Special Issue tentatively printed in book form if this number is reached.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Effective male trapping systems for mosquito monitoring in SIT projects
  • Marking techniques for sterile male mosquitoes at operational level
  • The impact of chilling, packing, and shipping on male quality indicators and its interaction.
  • Release methods and devices for ground and aerial releases of mosquitoes.
  • Pilot trials using the SIT against mosquitoes

Dr. Brian J. Johnson
Dr. Hervé Christophe Bossin
Dr. Maylen Gomez Pacheco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Aedes
  • Anopheles
  • sterile insect technique
  • shipment
  • packaging
  • chilled adults
  • quality control
  • drone releases
  • insect traps

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 223 KiB  
Editorial
Joint FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods” in Support of SIT Application to Control Mosquitoes
by Maylen Gómez, Brian J. Johnson, Hervé C. Bossin and Rafael Argilés-Herrero
Insects 2023, 14(2), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020108 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1731
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases are among the most important public health problems worldwide [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

18 pages, 1752 KiB  
Article
From the Lab to the Field: Long-Distance Transport of Sterile Aedes Mosquitoes
by Hamidou Maïga, Mame Thierno Bakhoum, Wadaka Mamai, Gorgui Diouf, Nanwintoum Séverin Bimbilé Somda, Thomas Wallner, Claudia Martina, Simran Singh Kotla, Odet Bueno Masso, Hanano Yamada, Bazoumana B. D. Sow, Assane Gueye Fall and Jeremy Bouyer
Insects 2023, 14(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020207 - 18 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2957
Abstract
Pilot programs of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against Aedes aegypti may rely on importing significant and consistent numbers of high-quality sterile males from a distant mass rearing factory. As such, long-distance mass transport of sterile males may contribute to meet this requirement [...] Read more.
Pilot programs of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against Aedes aegypti may rely on importing significant and consistent numbers of high-quality sterile males from a distant mass rearing factory. As such, long-distance mass transport of sterile males may contribute to meet this requirement if their survival and quality are not compromised. This study therefore aimed to develop and assess a novel method for long-distance shipments of sterile male mosquitoes from the laboratory to the field. Different types of mosquito compaction boxes in addition to a simulation of the transport of marked and unmarked sterile males were assessed in terms of survival rates/recovery rates, flight ability and morphological damage to the mosquitoes. The novel mass transport protocol allowed long-distance shipments of sterile male mosquitoes for up to four days with a nonsignificant impact on survival (>90% for 48 h of transport and between 50 and 70% for 96 h depending on the type of mosquito compaction box), flight ability, and damage. In addition, a one-day recovery period for transported mosquitoes post-transport increased the escaping ability of sterile males by more than 20%. This novel system for the long-distance mass transport of mosquitoes may therefore be used to ship sterile males worldwide for journeys of two to four days. This study demonstrated that the protocol can be used for the standard mass transport of marked or unmarked chilled Aedes mosquitoes required for the SIT or other related genetic control programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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18 pages, 2517 KiB  
Article
The MosHouse® Trap: Evaluation of the Efficiency in Trapping Sterile Aedes aegypti Males in Semi-Field Conditions
by Pattamaporn Kittayapong, Rungrith Kittayapong, Suwannapa Ninphanomchai and Wanitch Limohpasmanee
Insects 2022, 13(11), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13111050 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2143
Abstract
Arbovirus diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, are important public health problems. Controlling the major vector, Aedes aegypti, is the only approach to suppressing these diseases. The surveillance of this mosquito species needs effective collecting methods. In this study, a simple [...] Read more.
Arbovirus diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, are important public health problems. Controlling the major vector, Aedes aegypti, is the only approach to suppressing these diseases. The surveillance of this mosquito species needs effective collecting methods. In this study, a simple MosHouse sticky trap was evaluated in a semi-field condition. Our results demonstrated the efficiency of this trap in collecting Ae. aegypti males, and no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the numbers of males was detected when compared with the widely used BG- Sentinel trap. However, there were significantly lower numbers of females (p < 0.05) collected using the MosHouse trap when compared to the BG-Sentinel trap. We also found a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the collected numbers between irradiated and non-irradiated males. More irradiated males were collected in the MosHouse traps. The improvement of male collection was achieved with the addition of a sugar stick and sticky flags. Significantly higher numbers of males were collected in the MosHouse trap with sticky flags compared to the original one when they were released independently of females, but both were collected in higher numbers when they were released together (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our experiments demonstrated that the MosHouse trap could sample Ae. aegypti, especially males, as efficiently as the established BG-Sentinel trap, while the cost was more than 50 times lower, showing the potential of the MosHouse trap for improved Ae. aegypti male and female surveillance with very large numbers of traps at affordable costs. In addition, significantly (p < 0.001) increased male sampling was achieved by adding an external sticky flag on the MosHouse trap, providing an avenue for further development of the novel male-trapping strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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15 pages, 1549 KiB  
Article
Exploring Conditions for Handling Packing and Shipping Aedes aegypti Males to Support an SIT Field Project in Brazil
by Maylen Gómez, Aline T. Macedo, Michelle C. Pedrosa, Fernanda Hohana, Verenna Barros, Bianca Pires, Lucas Barbosa, Miriam Brito, Luiza Garziera, Rafael Argilés-Herrero, Jair F. Virginio and Danilo O. Carvalho
Insects 2022, 13(10), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13100871 - 25 Sep 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1851
Abstract
The sterile insect technique (SIT) application, as an alternative tool for conventional mosquito control methods, has recently gained prominence. Nevertheless, some SIT components require further development, such as protocols under large-scale conditions, focusing on packing and shipping mosquitoes, and considering transporting time. Immobilization [...] Read more.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) application, as an alternative tool for conventional mosquito control methods, has recently gained prominence. Nevertheless, some SIT components require further development, such as protocols under large-scale conditions, focusing on packing and shipping mosquitoes, and considering transporting time. Immobilization of Aedes aegypti males was tested at temperatures 4, 7, 10, and 14 °C, and each temperature was assessed for 60, 90, and 120 min. The recovery after 24 h was also studied. Chilled and control-reared males had comparable survival rates for all conditions, although 4 °C for 120 min impacted male survival. The male escape rate was affected after 60 min of exposure at 4 °C; this difference was not significant, with 24 h of recovery. First, we defined the successful immobilization at 4 °C for 60 min, thus enabling the evaluation of two transportation intervals: 6 and 24 h, with the assessment of different compaction densities of 100 and 150 mosquitoes/cm3 at 10 °C to optimize the shipment. Compaction during simulated mosquito shipments reduced survival rates significantly after 6 and 24 h. In the mating propensity and insemination experiments, the sterile males managed to inseminate 40 to 66% for all treatments in laboratory conditions. The male insemination propensity was affected only by the highest compaction condition concerning the control. The analysis of the densities (100 and 150 males/cm3) showed that a higher density combined with an extended shipment period (24 h) negatively impacted the percentage of inseminated females. The results are very helpful in developing and improving the SIT packing and shipment protocols. Further studies are required to evaluate all combined parameters’ synergetic effects that can combine irradiation to assess sexual competitiveness when sterile males are released into the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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13 pages, 940 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Compaction, Temperature, and Duration Factors for Packaging and Transporting of Sterile Male Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) under Laboratory Conditions
by Beni Ernawan, Tjandra Anggraeni, Sri Yusmalinar, Hadian Iman Sasmita, Nur Fitrianto and Intan Ahmad
Insects 2022, 13(9), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13090847 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2179
Abstract
Optimized conditions for the packaging and transportation of sterile males are crucial factors in successful SIT programs against mosquito vector-borne diseases. The factors influencing the quality of sterile males in packages during transportation need to be assessed to develop standard protocols. This study [...] Read more.
Optimized conditions for the packaging and transportation of sterile males are crucial factors in successful SIT programs against mosquito vector-borne diseases. The factors influencing the quality of sterile males in packages during transportation need to be assessed to develop standard protocols. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of compaction, temperature, and duration factors during packaging and transportation on the quality of gamma-sterilized male Ae. aegypti. Aedes aegypti males were sterilized at a dose of 70 Gy, compacted into Falcon tubes with densities of 40, 80, and 120 males/2 mL; and then exposed to temperatures of 7, 14, 21, and 28 °C. Each temperature setup was held for a duration of 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h at a 60 rpm constant vibration to simulate transportation. The parameters of mortality, flight ability, induced sterility, and longevity were investigated. Results showed that increases in density, temperature, and duration significantly increased mortality and reduced flight ability and longevity, but none of the factors significantly affected induced sterility. With a mortality rate of less than 20%, an escaping rate of more than 70%, considerable longevity, and the most negligible effect on induced sterility (approximately 98%), a temperature of 7 °C and a compaction density of 80 males/2 mL were shown to be optimized conditions for short-term transportation (no more than 24 h) with the minimum adverse effects compared with other condition setups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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9 pages, 954 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of a New Self-Marking Technique in Aedes aegypti under Laboratory Conditions
by Gorgui Diouf, Momar Talla Seck, Assane Guèye Fall, Mireille Djimangali Bassène, Biram Biteye, Mame Thierno Bakhoum and Mamadou Ciss
Insects 2022, 13(4), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13040379 - 12 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3052
Abstract
In the implementation of mosquito control strategy programs using Sterile Insect Technique and other rear and release strategies, knowledge on the dispersion, competitiveness and survival of mosquitos is considered essential. To assess these parameters, marking techniques are generally used to differentiate colony mosquitoes [...] Read more.
In the implementation of mosquito control strategy programs using Sterile Insect Technique and other rear and release strategies, knowledge on the dispersion, competitiveness and survival of mosquitos is considered essential. To assess these parameters, marking techniques are generally used to differentiate colony mosquitoes from wild ones. Most of the existing mosquito marking methods require numerous manipulations that can impact their quality. In this study, we have developed a self-marking technique that can reduce the damage associated with mosquito handling. The marking technique consisted of adding fluorescent powder (DayGlo: A-17-N Saturn yellow) directly to the surface water of the receptacle containing Aedes aegypti male pupae. Different quantities of powder were used, and marking efficacy, powder persistence and mosquito survival were assessed. The results show a mean marking rate of 98 ± 1.61%, and the probability of marking increased significantly (p < 0.001) with increasing concentrations of fluorescent powder. Fluorescent powder persisted up to 20 days and did not induce a negative effect on mosquito survival (χ2 = 5.3, df = 7, p = 0.63). In addition, powder transfer did not occur between marked and unmarked populations. This marking method significantly reduces human intervention and mosquito handling during the marking process, improving the quality of marked mosquitoes used to assess SIT programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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15 pages, 1976 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Ground Release and Drone-Mediated Aerial Release of Aedes aegypti Sterile Males in Southern Mexico: Efficacy and Challenges
by Carlos F. Marina, Pablo Liedo, J. Guillermo Bond, Adriana R. Osorio, Javier Valle, Roberto Angulo-Kladt, Yeudiel Gómez-Simuta, Ildefonso Fernández-Salas, Ariane Dor and Trevor Williams
Insects 2022, 13(4), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13040347 - 31 Mar 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3299
Abstract
Sterile males of Aedes aegypti were released once a week for 8 weeks to evaluate the dispersal efficiency of ground and aerial drone release methods in a rural village of 26 Ha in southern Mexico. Indoor and outdoor BG-Sentinel traps were placed in [...] Read more.
Sterile males of Aedes aegypti were released once a week for 8 weeks to evaluate the dispersal efficiency of ground and aerial drone release methods in a rural village of 26 Ha in southern Mexico. Indoor and outdoor BG-Sentinel traps were placed in 13–16 houses distributed throughout the village. The BG traps were activated 48 h after the release of the sterile males and functioned for a 24 h period following each release. Over the 8-week period of simultaneous ground and aerial releases, an average of 85,117 ± 6457 sterile males/week were released at ground level and 86,724 ± 6474 sterile males/week were released using an aerial drone. The ground release method resulted in higher numbers of captured males (mean = 5.1 ± 1.4, range 1.1–15.7 sterile males/trap) compared with the aerial release method (mean = 2.6 ± 0.8, range 0.5–7.3 sterile males/trap) (p < 0.05). Similarly, the prevalence of traps that captured at least one sterile male was significantly higher for ground release compared to the aerial release method (p < 0.01). The lower numbers of sterile males captured in the aerial release method could be due to mortality or physical injury caused by the chilling process for immobilization, or the compaction of these insects during transport and release. However, aerial releases by a two-person team distributed insects over the entire village in just 20 min, compared to ~90 min of work for a five-person team during the ground release method. Ground release also resulted in higher aggregations of males and some villagers reported feeling discomfort from the presence of large numbers of mosquitoes in and around their houses. We conclude that modifications to the handling and transport of sterile males and the design of containers used to store males are required to avoid injury and to improve the efficiency of aerial releases for area-wide SIT-based population suppression programs targeted at mosquito vectors of human disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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13 pages, 1722 KiB  
Article
Behavioural Responses of Male Aedes albopictus to Different Volatile Chemical Compounds
by Davide Carraretto, Laura Soresinetti, Irene Rossi, Anna R. Malacrida, Giuliano Gasperi and Ludvik M. Gomulski
Insects 2022, 13(3), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13030290 - 15 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2949
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has become one of the most important invasive vectors for disease pathogens such as the viruses that cause chikungunya and dengue. Given the medical importance of this disease vector, a number of control programmes involving the [...] Read more.
The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has become one of the most important invasive vectors for disease pathogens such as the viruses that cause chikungunya and dengue. Given the medical importance of this disease vector, a number of control programmes involving the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT) have been proposed. The identification of chemical compounds that attract males can be very useful for trapping purposes, especially for monitoring the makeup of the male population during control programmes, such as those involving the use of the SIT. Twenty-eight chemical compounds from different chemical classes were evaluated using a dual-port olfactometer assay. The compounds included known animal, fungal and plant host volatiles, and components of a putative Aedes aegypti pheromone. Many of the compounds were repellent for male mosquitoes, especially at the highest concentration. One compound, decanoic acid, acted as an attractant for males at an intermediate concentration. Decanoic acid did not elicit a significant response from female mosquitoes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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10 pages, 855 KiB  
Article
All-in-One Mosquito Containers: From the Laboratory to the Release Sites
by Carlos Tur, Ignacio Plá, Rafael Argilés-Herrero, Gustavo Salvador-Herranz and David Almenar
Insects 2022, 13(2), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13020178 - 9 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2313
Abstract
Integrated vector control programs that use a Sterile Insect Technique approach require the production and release of large numbers of high quality, sterile male insects. In pilot projects conducted worldwide, sterile males are usually kept in containers at low densities until their manual [...] Read more.
Integrated vector control programs that use a Sterile Insect Technique approach require the production and release of large numbers of high quality, sterile male insects. In pilot projects conducted worldwide, sterile males are usually kept in containers at low densities until their manual release on the ground. Although the quality of the released insects is high, these containers are only suitable for small-scale projects, given the fact that the manual labor required for release is significant and therefore untenable in large-scale projects. This study will compare and contrast the quality of the males reared in the proposed “all-in-one” containers which considerably reduce both the handling of the insects and the manual labor required for release. As a result, project costs are lower. The design of these “all-in-one” containers incorporates two important features: ventilation and the density of the vertical resting surface. Having evaluated both features, it can be concluded that ventilation does not directly affect the quality of the insects, at least in the range of dimensions tested. However, the quality of the male insects is reduced in relation to an increase in the number of mosquitoes, with 500 being the optimum quantity of mosquitoes per “all-in-one” container. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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10 pages, 461 KiB  
Article
Could Sterile Aedes albopictus Male Releases Interfere with Aedes aegypti Population in Reunion Island?
by Harilanto Felana Andrianjakarivony, David Damiens, Lucie Marquereau, Benjamin Gaudillat, Nausicaa Habchi-Hanriot and Louis-Clément Gouagna
Insects 2022, 13(2), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13020146 - 29 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2658
Abstract
In Reunion Island, the feasibility of an Aedes albopictus control program using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is studied. Because, in some regions, Ae. albopictus is living in sympatry with Aedes aegypti, the impact of releasing millions of sterile male Ae. albopictus [...] Read more.
In Reunion Island, the feasibility of an Aedes albopictus control program using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is studied. Because, in some regions, Ae. albopictus is living in sympatry with Aedes aegypti, the impact of releasing millions of sterile male Ae. albopictus on female Ae. aegypti reproduction needs to be assessed. Thus, to study the potential heterospecific matings, a marking technique using rhodamine B has been used. Rhodamine is given in solution to male mosquitoes to be incorporated into the male body and seminal fluid and transferred during mating into the bursa inseminalis and spermathecae of females. The presence of rhodamine in females occurred in 15% of cases when Ae. aegypti females were offered non-irradiated Ae. albopictus males, 5% when offered irradiated Ae. albopictus males and 18% of cases in the inverse heterospecific matings. Moreover, our results also showed that these matings gave few eggs but were not viable. Finally, the results showed that whatever the type of mating crosses, females in cages previously crossed with males of another species can re-mate with males of their species and produce an equivalent amount of egg compared to females only mated with conspecific males. Despite the promiscuity of the males and females in small cages for three days, heterospecific mating between sterile male Ae. albopictus and female Ae aegypti, 95% of the females have not been inseminated suggesting that in the field the frequency satyrization would be very low. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

15 pages, 731 KiB  
Review
Current Status of Mosquito Handling, Transporting and Releasing in Frame of the Sterile Insect Technique
by Jiatian Guo, Xiaoying Zheng, Dongjing Zhang and Yu Wu
Insects 2022, 13(6), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060532 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4086
Abstract
The sterile insect technique (SIT) and its related technologies are considered to be a powerful weapon for fighting against mosquitoes. As an important part of the area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programs, SIT can help reduce the use of chemical pesticides for mosquito [...] Read more.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) and its related technologies are considered to be a powerful weapon for fighting against mosquitoes. As an important part of the area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programs, SIT can help reduce the use of chemical pesticides for mosquito control, and consequently, the occurrence of insecticide resistance. The mosquito SIT involves several important steps, including mass rearing, sex separation, irradiation, packing, transportation, release and monitoring. To enable the application of SIT against mosquitoes to reduce vector populations, the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Centre (previously called Division) of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture (hereinafter called Joint FAO/IAEA Centre) and its Insects Pest Control sub-program promoted a coordinated research project (CRP) entitled “Mosquito handling, transport, release and male trapping methods” to enhance the success of SIT. This article summarizes the existing explorations that are critical to the handling and transporting of male mosquitoes, offers an overview of detailed steps in SIT and discusses new emerging methods for mosquito releases, covering most processes of SIT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods)
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