AEDES AEGYPTI SURVIVORSHIP ON SALT TOLERANT CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE PLANTS

Abstract

Aedes aegypti has expanded its range in the United States to include various arid and desert geographies, with notable introduction into various parts of California. Because resources are limited in arid environments, it is currently an important topic to understand how Ae. aegypti interacts with its surrounding environment for survival and proliferation. Three common plant species in peridomestic landscape, i.e., salt cedar (Tamarix aphylla), arrow weed (Pluchea sericea) and four wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), were collected for survival bioassays to understand how Ae. aegypti is persisting in arid, chaparral landscapes in California, USA. These three plant-species along with a 10% sucrose solution (positive control) and reverse osmosis water solution (negative control-) were added to cages of Ae. aegypti to assess their survival at 24h, 48h, and 96h. It was found, in comparison with the negative control and four wing salt bush, that arrow weed and to a lesser extent salt cedar, promoted survival of Ae. aegypti in the first 24h. After the first day, only arrow weed significantly supported mosquito survival out to 96h as compared to the controls. Arrow weed and salt cedar are both riparian plants producing some nectaries which could be energy resources provided through stem sap or nectar to Ae. aegypti amidst peridomestic chaparral in California.