Gravid traps are selective for gravid females of which mosquito species?

Gravid traps are selective for gravid females of which mosquito species?

• A. Culex pipiens
• B. Aedes aegypti
• C. Anopheles gambiae
• D. Culiseta melanura

Answer: (A)

Gravid traps work by exploiting the egg-laying behavior of female mosquitoes. They lure gravid females with water-based cues that mimic natural oviposition sites, so the trap is especially effective for species that routinely lay eggs in standing water and respond strongly to these cues. Culex pipiens fits this pattern well: females are typically seeking larger, stagnant-water habitats and are drawn to the infusion scents used in these traps, making the trap highly selective for them. Other species, like Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, and Culiseta melanura, have different oviposition preferences and host-seeking behaviors, so they’re less reliably captured by gravid traps.

Gravid traps work by exploiting the egg-laying behavior of female mosquitoes. They lure gravid females with water-based cues that mimic natural oviposition sites, so the trap is especially effective for species that routinely lay eggs in standing water and respond strongly to these cues. Culex pipiens fits this pattern well: females are typically seeking larger, stagnant-water habitats and are drawn to the infusion scents used in these traps, making the trap highly selective for them. Other species, like Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, and Culiseta melanura, have different oviposition preferences and host-seeking behaviors, so they’re less reliably captured by gravid traps.