Area Treatment to Combat Mosquitoes

Abstract

FEMALE mosquitoes may become “aware” of a nearby host by a rise in the prevailing concentration of carbon dioxide which causes them to fly off and begin a generally up-wind search^1,2. Once activation has taken place the “attack programme” uses multiple clues to target location of which the most important are convection currents from the body of the host, and, during the day, visual stimuli. If the insects fail to detect these emanations from the host, and if the raised concentration of carbon dioxide is maintained, they soon come to rest again, presumably because they adapt to the new concentration of carbon dioxide².