BITING PERSISTENCE IN AEDES ALBOPICTUS (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

1 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.+

2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Hafr Al-Batin University, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Mosquitoes body size infuences a number of important factors determinants in disease transmission. Generally, high nutrition during developing stages results in large adults. The interrupted feeding of Ae. albopictus spreads zoonotic viruses. Adult dry weight and total number of landings positively correlated with the larval nutrition represented by adult body size. Potentiality of Ae. albopictus to attack its hosts for blood meal required for egg development is an important factor in disease transmission. Although the biting persistence was described in the literature as the norm for mosquitoes, yet more study was needed. Measurement of the number of landings during a 60-min test for large and small females
supplied different nutrients. Small females were significantly less persistent than larger ones. Supply of 10% sucrose solution or water ± 10% sucrose solution for 6 days significantly influenced biting persistence in large and small females. The pattern of persistence exhibited more increase in case of females fed 10% sucrose solution and 10% sucrose solution
+ water for 6 days than others fed for 4 days or 2 days, either from the high or low larval diet. This support the hypothesis that Ae. albopictus females body size influences bitting persistence.

Keywords