Abstract
In genetic control programmes, including the sterile insect technique (SIT), it is crucial to release insects of the highest quality with maximum survival. It is likely that male mosquitoes will follow the trend of other insects in SIT programmes and be stored, transported and eventually released under chilled conditions. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of different chilling temperatures on male Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus survival by exposing them to a range of temperatures for different durations. Ae. aegypti were found to be less sensitive to the impact of chilling, with only 6°C causing a marginal decrease in survival in comparison to non-chilled controls. Conversely, Ae. albopictus displayed a significantly reduced survival at all chilling temperatures even when exposed for a short time. In both species, longer exposure to low temperatures reduced survival. Our results uncovered that Ae. albopictus are more sensitive to chilling, regardless of the temperature, when compared to Ae. aegypti. Such results indicate differences in thermal tolerances between species and the necessity of conducting experiments on a species by species basis when determining temperature limits for any insect destined for release as part of a genetic control programme.
Highlights
The global burden of vector-borne diseases is increasing with mosquito borne diseases responsible for more than 700,000 deaths each year [1]
Both Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti have been subsequently reared in the Food and Agricultural Organisation/ International Atomic Energy Agency (FAO/IAEA) Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL) in Seibersdorf, Austria since 2010 and 2012 respectively without further colony regeneration
Larvae were mass-reared in a climate controlled room with temperature and Relative humidity (RH) held constant at 30 ± 1 ̊C, 70 ± 10% RH, respectively
Summary
The global burden of vector-borne diseases is increasing with mosquito borne diseases responsible for more than 700,000 deaths each year [1]. With traditional vector control methods such as insecticides becoming less effective due to a build up of resistance in wild populations, alternative vector control tools are needed urgently [2]. Genetic control techniques such as the sterile insect technique (SIT) has seen reignited interest in recent years as a potential method to control mosquitoes as part of an area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) strategy, having been used successfully against various plant and animal pests for over six decades [3].
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