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Gravid traps are important tools for disease monitoring and for research on mosquito ovipositional behavior. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate a 2% nonanal lure in gravid mosquito traps in Ifakara, Tanzania. The 1st experiment focused on whether water was needed in the pan below the trap for the nonanal lure to be effective. There was no significant difference between the numbers of gravid females of Culex quinquefasciatus collected in traps using a nonanal lure either with or without water. The 2nd experiment compared the lure, without water, to a grass infusion and a blank trap, without water or attractant. Significantly more mosquitoes were collected in traps with grass infusion than in traps with the other attractants, which were not significantly different from each other. Although more mosquitoes were collected in traps with grass infusion, substantial numbers were also collected in traps with the nonanal lure and unbaited traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The typical attractant used in gravid trapping of Culex quinquefasciatus is an aged infusion of organic materials, which can change in attractiveness over time. A standardized chemical attractant dispenser derived from grass infusion, the Atr Aedes™ lure, has been produced for the surveillance of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti. A study using this lure in combination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gravid traps was conducted in Tanga, Tanzania. The addition of the lure to traps baited with either grass infusion or tap water did not result in significant increases in trap catch. Grass infusion-baited traps (with and without the Atr Aedes lure) collected significantly more Cx. quinquefasciatus than traps baited with Atr Aedes + tap water, tap water alone, or Atr Aedes alone. The catches of the traps baited with Atr Aedes + tap water, tap water alone, and Atr Aedes alone were not significantly different from each other. Although the placement of the lure in the base of the trap may have decreased trap catches, it seems that the Atr Aedes is not as effective as grass infusion for collecting Cx. quinquefasciatus in Tanzania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]