Abstract
Wild female Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were allowed to lay eggs in (i) ovitraps with different concentrations of NaCl, (ii) different coloured ovistrips, (iii) water from different sources, (iv) larva holding water, and different sized ovitraps for oviposition preference. Oviposition cycle was also studied in different photoperiod regimens. The number of eggs laid was observed to gradually decrease with increase in NaCl concentration in both the species. Experiments were conducted to determine egg laying preference for any specific colour of the ovistrip and black ovistrip was found to be most preferred by both the species. For oviposition preference, eight water samples collected from different sources were used and it was observed that the maximum number of eggs was laid in ovitraps containing distilled water followed by tap water. In addition, Aedes mosquitoes laid more number of eggs in ovitraps containing larval holding water than ovitraps containing distilled water. Further, both the species did not lay any egg in the smallest used ovitrap although the number of eggs was maximally deposited in the largest ovitrap used. In the present studies, both the Aedes species laid the maximum number of eggs in the 4th quarter of the light period with normal 12 h light and dark phases (LD 12 : 12).
Highlights
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the principal mosquito vectors of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever viruses [1]
A female does not lay her entire batch of eggs in one location but rather distributes them in multiple water-filled containers, a behaviour called skip-oviposition [4]. This behaviour increases the distribution of eggs over a larger area and may be increased by the tendency of gravid females to avoid ovipositing in sites where eggs of conspecific females have been laid [5,6,7]
In order to understand the oviposition behaviour of field collected Aedes mosquitoes, experiments were conducted in response to varied NaCl concentration, choice of ovistrip colour, choice of oviposition with water from different sources and larval holding water, oviposition preference in response to size of ovitrap, and oviposition cycle at different photoperiod regimens in the present investigation
Summary
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the principal mosquito vectors of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever viruses [1]. A female does not lay her entire batch of eggs in one location but rather distributes them in multiple water-filled containers, a behaviour called skip-oviposition [4]. This behaviour increases the distribution of eggs over a larger area and may be increased by the tendency of gravid females to avoid ovipositing in sites where eggs of conspecific females have been laid [5,6,7]. Understanding the oviposition behavior of mosquitoes may give a new insight about their life history, and lead to more refined dengue surveillance and control practices
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