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Responses of Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis to odorants that attract haematophagous insects
Author(s) -
CARR A. L.,
ROE R. M.,
ARELLANO C.,
SONENSHINE D. E.,
SCHAL C.,
APPERSON C. S.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
medical and veterinary entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2915
pISSN - 0269-283X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2012.01024.x
Subject(s) - amblyomma americanum , dermacentor variabilis , ixodidae , biology , acari , tick , population , toxicology , botany , ecology , demography , sociology
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), 1‐octen‐3‐ol, acetone, ammonium hydroxide, L‐lactic‐acid, dimethyl trisulphide and isobutyric acid were tested as attractants for two tick species, Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae), in dose–response bioassays using Y‐tube olfactometers. Only CO 2 , acetone, 1‐octen‐3‐ol and ammonium hydroxide elicited significant preferences from adult A. americanum , and only CO 2 was attractive to adult D. variabilis . Acetone, 1‐octen‐3‐ol and ammonium hydroxide were separately evaluated at three doses against CO 2 (from dry ice) at a field site supporting a natural population of A . americanum nymphs and adults. Carbon dioxide consistently attracted the highest number of host‐seeking ticks. However, for the first time, acetone, 1‐octen‐3‐ol and ammonium hydroxide were shown to attract high numbers of A . americanum . Further research is needed to determine the utility of these semiochemicals as attractants in tick surveillance and area‐wide management programmes.