The Effectiveness of Various Attractants in Attracting Aedes Sp Mosquitoes as a Strategy to Control Dengue Fever Cases : A Literature Review

Authors

  • Tatag Fajar Subekhi Departemen Kesehatan Lingkungan Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Diponegoro
  • Nur Endah Wahyuningsih Universitas Diponegoro
  • Mursid Raharjo Universitas Diponegoro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31983/jrk.v14i2.13138

Keywords:

Aedes sp, attractants, natural attractants, mosquito traps

Abstract

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) remains one of the major public health challenges, particularly in tropical countries such as Indonesia. Conventional vector control strategies, such as fogging and mosquito breeding site eradication, have encountered significant obstacles, including insecticide resistance and limited long-term effectiveness. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of various natural attractants as an alternative approach to attracting Aedes mosquitoes through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 24 published articles from 2020 to 2025. The attractants analyzed include fermented rice straw water, coconut husks, fermented sugar solutions, as well as grass-based and plant semiochemical attractants. The review results indicate that fermented rice straw water is the most effective attractant for Aedes mosquitoes, especially for gravid females, due to its organic compounds produced during fermentation, such as ammonia and volatile acids. Sugar solutions, particularly in the form of Attractive Toxic Sugar Baits (ATSB), also show high effectiveness in both attracting and killing mosquitoes. In contrast, coconut husk attractants tend to be less effective and their performance varies depending on environmental conditions. Grass-based attractants such as Megathyrsus maximus also show potential but still require broader field validation. Based on a literature review of 24 studies, it can be concluded that straw-soaked water is the most effective attractant. This is effective with 3-7 days of fermentation at warm temperatures and in dark containers. Environmental health implications include its suitability as a low-cost lure and kill. Integrating natural attractants with attract-and-kill approaches such as ATSB can enhance the effectiveness of dengue control programs in a sustainable manner, especially in resource-limited settings.

Author Biographies

Nur Endah Wahyuningsih, Universitas Diponegoro

Kesehatan Lingkungan, Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat, Universitas Diponegoro

Mursid Raharjo, Universitas Diponegoro

Kesehatan Lingkungan, Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat, Universitas Diponegoro

References

Agustin, I., Tarwotjo, U., & Rahadian, R. (2017). Egg-Laying Behavior and Life Cycle of Aedes aegypti in Various Aquatic Media. Academic Journal of Biology, 6(4), 71–81.

Amanda, Q., Astuti, F. D., & Fadly, A. (2023). Evaluation of Implementation of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Surveillance. Disease Prevention and Public Health Journal, 17(1), 13–31. https://doi.org/10.12928/dpphj.v17i1.5452

Barredo, E., & DeGennaro, M. (2020). Not Just from Blood: Mosquito Nutrient Acquisition from Nectar Sources. Trends in Parasitology, 36(5), 473–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2020.02.003

Barrera, R. (2022). New tools for Aedes control: mass trapping. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 52, 100942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2022.100942

Bello, J. E., & Cardé, R. T. (2022). Compounds from human odor induce attraction and landing in female yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti). Scientific Reports, 12(1), 15638. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-19254-w

Bezerra-Santos, M. A., Benelli, G., Germinara, G. S., Volf, P., & Otranto, D. (2024). Smelly interactions: host-borne volatile organic compounds triggering behavioural responses in mosquitoes, sand flies, and ticks. Parasites & Vectors, 17(1), 227. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-024-06299-1

Bokore, G. E., Svenberg, L., Tamre, R., Onyango, P., Bukhari, T., Emmer, Å., & Fillinger, U. (2021). Grass-like plants release general volatile cues attractive for gravid Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto mosquitoes. Parasites & Vectors, 14(1), 552. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04939-4

Chiu, M.-C., Neoh, K.-B., & Hwang, S.-Y. (2024). The effect of attractive toxic sugar bait on the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in community farms in Northern Taiwan. Acta Tropica, 250, 107102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107102

Christofferson, R. C., Wearing, H. J., Turner, E. A., Walsh, C. S., Salje, H., Tran-Kiem, C., & Cauchemez, S. (2022). How do i bite thee? let me count the ways: Exploring the implications of individual biting habits of Aedes aegypti for dengue transmission. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16(10), e0010818. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010818

Cromar, L., & Cromar, K. (2021). Dengue Fever and Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54746-2_13

Dormont, L., Mulatier, M., Carrasco, D., & Cohuet, A. (2021). Mosquito Attractants. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 47(4–5), 351–393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-021-01261-2

Gustina, M., Agustina, Y., & Widada, A. (2025). Effectiveness of mosquito trap with sugar fermentation solution attractant in mosquito control. Malahayati International Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 7(10), 1280–1285. https://doi.org/10.33024/minh.v7i10.492

Hartono, Samosir, F., Hulu, V. T., Simanullang, A., Dameria, Hutasoit, T., & Mendrofa, I. (2020). The Effectiveness of Attractants on the Amount of Mosquito Aedes Sp. Trapped on Ovitrap. Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics, Medical, Biological Engineering, and Pharmaceutical, 181–187. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010292301810187

Hikmawati, I., Sholikhah, U., Wahjono, H., & Martini, M. (2020). Community Vulnerability Map in Endemic Areas of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), Banyumas, Indonesia. Iranian Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v49i3.3143

Jaffal, A., Fite, J., Baldet, T., Delaunay, P., Jourdain, F., Mora-Castillo, R., Olive, M.-M., & Roiz, D. (2023). Current evidences of the efficacy of mosquito mass-trapping interventions to reduce Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations and Aedes-borne virus transmission. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17(3), e0011153. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011153

Jahir, A., Kahamba, N. F., Knols, T. O., Jackson, G., Patty, N. F. A., Shivdasani, S., Okumu, F. O., & Knols, B. G. J. (2022). Mass Trapping and Larval Source Management for Mosquito Elimination on Small Maldivian Islands. Insects, 13(9), 805. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13090805

Khan, A., Ullah, M., Khan, G. Z., Ahmed, N., Shami, A., El Hadi Mohamed, R. A., Abd Al Galil, F. M., & Salman, M. (2022). Assessment of Various Colors Combined with Insecticides in Devising Ovitraps as Attracting and Killing Tools for Mosquitoes. Insects, 14(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14010025

Kittayapong, P., Kittayapong, R., Ninphanomchai, S., & Limohpasmanee, W. (2022). The MosHouse® Trap: Evaluation of the Efficiency in Trapping Sterile Aedes aegypti Males in Semi-Field Conditions. Insects, 13(11), 1050. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13111050

Knols, B. G. J., Posada, A., Sison, M. J., Knols, J. M. H., Patty, N. F. A., & Jahir, A. (2023). Rapid Elimination of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus Mosquitoes from Puerco Island, Palawan, Philippines with Odor-Baited Traps. Insects, 14(9), 730. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14090730

Kumar, G., Ojha, V. P., & Pasi, S. (2021). Applicability of attractive toxic sugar baits as a mosquito vector control tool in the context of India : a review. Pest Management Science, 77(6), 2626–2634. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6226

Kumar, S., Sharma, A., Samal, R. R., Verma, V., Sagar, R. K., Singh, S. P., & Raghavendra, K. (2024). Development of Deltamethrin-Laced Attractive Toxic Sugar Bait to Control Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) Population. Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2024, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/6966205

Lee, J. M., Wasserman, R. J., Gan, J. Y., Wilson, R. F., Rahman, S., & Yek, S. H. (2020). Human Activities Attract Harmful Mosquitoes in a Tropical Urban Landscape. EcoHealth, 17(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-019-01457-9

Martini, M., Karimah, A. N. A., Udijono, A., Sutiningsih, D., & Santoso, H. S. (2022). Comparing Shrimp Paste Solution and Straw Soaking Water as an Attractant Of Aedes Sp. The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 53(Suppl 2), 1004–1019.

Musunzaji, P. S., Ndenga, B. A., Mzee, S., Abubakar, L. U., Kitron, U. D., Labeaud, A. D., & Mutuku, F. M. (2023). Oviposition Preferences of Aedes aegypti in Msambweni, Kwale County, Kenya. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 39(2), 85–95. https://doi.org/10.2987/22-7103

Njoroge, T. M., Hamid-Adiamoh, M., & Duman-Scheel, M. (2023). Maximizing the Potential of Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) for Integrated Vector Management. Insects, 14(7), 585. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14070585

Poldy, J. (2020). Volatile Cues Influence Host-Choice in Arthropod Pests. Animals, 10(11), 1984. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10111984

Pramurditya, R., Santjaka, A., & Widyanto, A. (2016). Aedes Sp Mosquito Eggs in Teluk Village, South Purwokerto District, Banyumas Regency in 2016.

Pullmann-Lindsley, H., Bartlett-Miller, A., & Pitts, R. J. (2023). Diols and sugar substitutes in attractive toxic sugar baits targeting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes. Journal of Medical Entomology, 60(5), 1022–1029. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjad072

Ridha, M. R., Hairani, B., Rosanji, A., Fadilly, A., & Meliyanie, G. (2020). Dengue vector surveillance (Aedes albopictus) with ovitrap and attractants from imperata immersion (Imperata cylindrica). International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS), 9(4), 286. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijphs.v9i4.20544

Ridha, M. R., Marlinae, L., Zubaidah, T., Fadillah, N. A., Widjaja, J., Rosadi, D., Rahayu, N., Ningsih, M., Desimal, I., & Sofyandi, A. (2023). Control methods for invasive mosquitoes of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Indonesia. Veterinary World, 1952–1963. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2023.1952-1963

Rofiah, S., & Bungas, K. (2021). The effectiveness of the taya plant attractant (Nauclea orientalis) in ovitraps as an alternative for controlling dengue fever vectors. Journal of Environment and Management, 2(3), 256–262.

Sindy, F. C., Hermiyanti, P., Rokhmalia, F., & Nurmayanti, D. (2021). The Potential of Fermented Oyster Mushroom Filtrate (Pleorotus ostreatus) as Host-Seeking Attractant of Aedes aegypti Mosquito. International Conference on Environmental Health, 1(1), 12–20.

Sippy, R., Rivera, G. E., Sanchez, V., Heras, F., Morejón, B., Beltrán, E., Hikida, R. S., López-Latorre, M. A., Aguirre, A., Stewart-Ibarra, A. M., Larsen, D. A., & Neira, M. (2020). Ingested insecticide to control Aedes aegypti: developing a novel dried attractive toxic sugar bait device for intra-domiciliary control. Parasites & Vectors, 13(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-3930-9

Tenywa, F. C., Musa, J. J., Musiba, R. M., Swai, J. K., Mpelepele, A. B., Okumu, F. O., & Maia, M. F. (2024). Sugar and blood: the nutritional priorities of the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti. Parasites & Vectors, 17(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-06093-5

VanderGiessen, M., Tallon, A. K., Damico, B., Lahondère, C., & Vinauger, C. (2023). Soap application alters mosquito-host interactions. IScience, 26(5), 106667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.106667

Vieira, F., Santana, H. E. P., Jesus, M., Santos, J., Pires, P., Vaz-Velho, M., Silva, D. P., & Ruzene, D. S. (2024). Coconut Waste: Discovering Sustainable Approaches to Advance a Circular Economy. Sustainability, 16(7), 3066. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16073066

Weerakoon, S., Jayatunga, D., & Ganehiarachchi, G. (2021). Field Evaluation of Selected Common Household Containers as Oviposition Attractants of Aedes Albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae. Journal of Science of the University of Kelaniya, 13, 46–67. https://doi.org/10.4038/josuk.v13i0.8026

Widyanto, A., Unggul Satoto, T. B., & Kusmintarsih, E. S. (2023). Effectiveness of indoor and outdoor larvitrap modified jars and paralon hit for Aedes spp. control. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 14(2), 6. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2023.2613

Wood, M., Bull, J., Anagachandran, K., & Butt, T. (2024). Pengembangan dan validasi laboratorium campuran pengusir nyamuk yang berasal dari tumbuhan, efektif melawan Aedes aegypti [Diptera: Culicidae], Anopheles gambiae [Diptera: Culicidae], dan Culex quinquefasciatus [Diptera: Culicidae]. PLoS ONE, 19(3), e0299144. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299144

Zamora-Avilés, N., Orozco-Flores, A. A., Gomez-Flores, R., Domínguez-Gámez, M., Rodríguez-Pérez, M. A., & Tamez-Guerra, P. (2022). Increased Attraction and Stability of Beauveria bassiana-Formulated Microgranules for Aedes aegypti Biocontrol. Journal of Fungi, 8(8), 828. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8080828

Downloads

Published

2025-11-30

How to Cite

Subekhi, T. F., Wahyuningsih, N. E., & Raharjo, M. (2025). The Effectiveness of Various Attractants in Attracting Aedes Sp Mosquitoes as a Strategy to Control Dengue Fever Cases : A Literature Review. Jurnal Riset Kesehatan, 14(2), 131–143. https://doi.org/10.31983/jrk.v14i2.13138

Issue

Section

Original Research