THE EFFECT OF LARVAL AND ADULT NUTRITION ON SURVIVAL AND FECUNDITY OF DENGUE VECTOR AEDES ALBOPICTUS SKUS (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

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

2 Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The effect of larval and adult nutrition on survival and fecundity of the dengue vector Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) were studied under laboratory conditions, the energy for the physiological activities for both male and female mosquitoes is provided largely by their eserves during larval stage and affected by adult diets. Two groups of larvae (A, B) were reared at 27±3oC, 70-80% R.H. and DL. 12: 12. Group (A) with 200 larvae (high larval diet) and Group (B) with 600 larvae (low larval diet). Ae. albopictus exhibited increased fecundity and egg hatch success. Immature development was quick. Immature survival was high, with lowest rate in the pupal stage. Highest longevity was observed in large females fed water + 10% sucrose solution (29.571±0.415 days) while the lowest one was (1.3±0.132 days) in starved small females. Large females have significantly (P< 0.001) higher fecundity than smaller females, regardless of whether the females were provided 10% sucrose solution or not (524±0.203 eggs/group 159.714±0.1997 eggs/group), respectively. The addition of 10% sucrose solution significantly (P< 0.001) increase the fecundity regardless of whether large or
small females (657.9±0.2198 eggs/group, 242.429±0.119 eggs/group), respectively.

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