Work

Effects of Body Size and Nutritional Regimen on Survival in Adult Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: The effects of adult body size and nutritional regimen on the mean lethal time (LT) to death for the 50th (LT50) and 90th centiles (LT90) of large and small male and female Aedes albopictus (Skuse) were determined in the laboratory. The estimated LT50 and the LT90 for large/small females were significantly shorter for test populations receiving water (5.1/3.8 d) or water + blood (6.7/5.0 d) than for those receiving sucrose (44.4/31.7 d) or sucrose + blood (41.4/29.2 d). The estimated LT50 and LT90 for large/small males receiving water (respectively: 3.2/2.5 d and 4.8/3.8 d) were significantly shorter than for those receiving sucrose (respectively: 18.8/15.9 d and 34.9/32.6 d). The availability of sucrose to adult mosquitoes extended the maximum life span of large and small male and female Ae. albopictus by 6-8x when compared with the availability of water or water + blood. Results indicate that sugar availability is more important than blood as a nutritional parameter for survival and longevity of Ae. albopictus in the laboratory.

Source: Journal of Medical Entomology

DOI: 10.1093/jmedent/47.5.778

Authors: Rui-De Xue, Donald R. Barnard, Gunter C. Muller

Institutions: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Language: English

Topic: Mosquito-borne diseases and control

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,328