Comparative Attractiveness of Fermented Fruit-Based Baits for Aedes Aegypti and Culex Quinquefasciatus

Abstract

Mosquitoes are important vectors of several diseases, and the development of effective, low cost, and locally available attractants can support mosquito surveillance and management. The present study evaluated the attractiveness of fermented fruit-based baits to Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus under controlled laboratory conditions. Twelve fruit treatments, including guava, Chaunsa mango, Sindhri mango, Langra mango, Anwar Ratol mango, plum, watermelon, muskmelon, orange, pineapple, peach, and banana, were evaluated against a constant sugar only control. Each fruit treatment was prepared using fruit pulp and baker’s yeast, while the control contained sugar only. The experiment was conducted in three phases: prescreening, screening, and post screening. In the prescreening and screening phases, mosquito attraction was recorded at 10-minute intervals for one hour. Based on their observed performance, guava, plum, and banana were selected for post screening against the sugar only control. Each experimental cage contained 40 mosquitoes, comprising 20 males and 20 females, and the relative attraction was calculated from the number of mosquitoes attracted to the test bait and control. Among the tested treatments, guava showed the highest observed mean relative attraction in both mosquito species, followed by plum and banana, whereas the sugar only control showed comparatively lower attraction. In the post screening phase, guava again recorded the highest observed mean relative attraction, followed by plum and banana, for both Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. These findings indicate that fermented fruit-based baits, particularly guava, plum, and banana, have potential as attractant formulations for mosquito surveillance. However, CO₂ production and volatile compounds were not directly measured in the present study; therefore, the specific mechanisms responsible for the observed attraction cannot be confirmed. Further studies involving independent replication, chemical characterization, optimization of fermentation conditions, and field evaluation are recommended to determine the reliability and practical applicability of these baits.