Comparison of the attractiveness of organic infusions to the standard CDC gravid mosquito trap.

Field experiments were conducted in southeastern Texas in 2008 to compare the attractiveness of selected gravid-trap infusions to ovipositing female mosquitoes. Comparisons were made among the following infusions: Bermuda grass, oak leaves, acacia leaves, rabbit chow (alfalfa pellets) and green algae. Experiments were conducted at 6 trap locations in Fort Sam Houston military reservation in San Antonio, Texas. Four (Bermuda grass, acacia leaves, oak leaves, and algae) of the 5 infusions were effective in collecting Culex quinquefasciatus, Cx nigripalpus, and Cx erraticus. However, Bermuda grass attracted the greatest numbers of the mosquito species. Aedes albopictus female mosquitoes were collected in moderate numbers during this study; however the infusions were not determined to be significantly different from one another in their attractiveness for this species.