The effect of temperature on the development of immature stages of <i>Aedes</i> spp. against breeding containers

Abstract

Temperature is the main environmental factor affecting the growth of the mosquito population. It is important to study the effect of temperature on the life parameters of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti in the local environment. This will subsequently provide an in-depth understanding on the biology of Aedes mosquitoes which will eventually affect the transmission of dengue viruses directly to human. This study examined the effect of constant temperatures on the developmental period of both local Aedes species strains using environmental chambers. Artificial and natural containers were used to examine the association of the types of containers to the development of both Aedes species. It was found that the increase in temperature may reduce the developmental period of the mosquito. In terms of the types of breeding containers, shortest development was recorded in the coconut shells, followed by tires, glass jars and plastic cups for both Aedes species. These findings provided valuable baseline information on the potential effects of climate change on the bionomics of Aedes mosquitoes and its density towards an improve vector control.