Dislodgement effect of natural semiochemicals released by disturbed triatomines: a possible alternative monitoring tool

MINOLI, SA; PALOTTINI, F; CRESPO, J. G.; MANRIQUE, G

JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY

SOC VECTOR ECOLOGY

Lugar: Idaho, EEUU; Año: 2013 vol. 38 p. 353 - 360

1081-1710

The quick detection of domestic and peridomestic triatomines in their environments becomes difficult without the use of dislodgement substances that make them flush-out from their shelters. At present, Tetramethrin 0.2% is being widely used in control programmes. Although it is an efficient dislodging agent, its toxicity might affect the health of captured triatomines, of other insects and to a lesser extent of other animals including man. Here we tested if semiochemicals released by disturbed adults of Triatoma infestans and/or Rhodnius prolixus can make larvae of the same species flush-out from their refuges. In a walking olfactometer we found that: 1) larvae of T. infestans were repelled by the odours released by disturbed adults of their own species and of R. prolixus, 2) larvae of R. prolixus did not change their behaviour in the presence of odours released by adults of both species, and 3) activity levels were not modulated by these odours in any of both species. Besides, in pseudo-natural conditions we found an increased flushing-out activity of larvae of T. infestans when their shelters were sprayed with isobutyric acid or 3-pentanol, and of larvae of R. prolixus when sprayed with 3-methyl-1-butanol. We succeeded in this work to dislodge larvae of triatomines from artificial shelters using natural volatile compounds, allowing the capture of alive health bugs for further investigations (e.g. xenodiagnosis or genetic studies) and favouring ecological aspects (e.g. minimizing environmental insecticide-contamination and non-targeted mortality).