Bait station design and sugar bait composition affects the engorgement of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> (Diptera: Culicidae)

Sugar-based bait stations containing insecticides are used for mosquito control, but few studies compare different bait stations models. This study evaluated mosquito engorgement using sugar bait and attractive sugar bait in 4 bait stations models: ovitrap, artificial plant, resting box, and bottle. Two experiments were conducted: (i) a no-choice test, where mosquitoes were exposed to a single bait stations with 10% sucrose sugar bait or attractive sugar bait, and (ii) a multi-choice test, where all bait stations models were placed in a tent, offering sugar bait and attractive sugar bait at 10% and 70% sucrose concentrations. In the no-choice experiment, more mosquitoes engorged on sugar bait (71.6) than attractive sugar bait (21.7), but bait stations model and sex did not influence engorgement. Males mostly showed lower engorgement levels (degree 1), whereas females had varying degrees (2 to 5). In the multi-choice test, RBs attracted the most mosquitoes (22.8), followed by ovitraps (17.1), bottles (13.5), and plants (12.7). Bait composition did not significantly impact engorgement, but more females engorged on baits with 70% sucrose. Bait engorgement increased toward higher degrees in females, whereas males exhibited higher levels at degrees 3 to 4. Both male and female Aedes aegypti engorged on sugar baits across all bait stations models, but males preferred resting boxes in multi-choice tests. Guava juice in attractive sugar baits did not enhance engorgement, while 70% sucrose led to the highest female engorgement. These findings suggest that bait station design and sugar concentration influence mosquito feeding behavior.