Journal of Vector Ecology (2013) 38, 182-187

Catherine M. Zettel Nalen, Sandra A. Allan, James J. Becnel and Phillip E. Kaufman (2013)
Oviposition substrate selection by Florida mosquitoes in response to pathogen-infected conspecific larvae
Journal of Vector Ecology 38 (1), 182-187
Abstract: The impact of the presence of larval mosquito pathogens with potential for biological control on oviposition choice was evaluated for three mosquito species/pathogen pairs present in Florida. These included Aedes aegypti infected with Edhazardia aedis, Aedes albopictus infected with Vavraia culicis, and Culex quinquefasciatus infected with Culex nigripalpus nucleopolyhedrovirus (CuniNPV). Two-choice oviposition bioassays were performed on each host and pathogen species with one oviposition cup containing infected larvae and the other cup containing uninfected larvae (control). Both uninfected and E. aedis-infected female Ae. aegypti laid significantly fewer eggs in oviposition cups containing infected larvae. Uninfected gravid female Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus oviposited equally in cups containing uninfected larvae or containing larvae infected with V. culicis or CuniNPV, respectively. Gravid female Ae. albopictus infected with V. culicis did not display ovarian development and did not lay eggs. The decreased oviposition by gravid Ae. aegypti in containers containing E. aedis-infected larvae may indicate that the infected larvae produce chemicals deterring oviposition.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Phillip E. Kaufman, James J. Becnel

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culex quinquefasciatus		U.S.A. (SE)
	Aedes albopictus		U.S.A. (SE)
	Aedes aegypti		U.S.A. (SE)
Vavraia culicis (entomopathogen)	Aedes albopictus		U.S.A. (SE)
Edhazardia aedis (entomopathogen)	Aedes aegypti		U.S.A. (SE)
Deltabaculovirus cunigripalpi (entomopathogen)	Culex quinquefasciatus		U.S.A. (SE)