Autor(es): Wong, Jacklyn; Morrison, Amy C.; Stoddard, Steven T.; Astete, Helvio; Chu, Yui Yin; Baseer, Imaan; Scott, Thomas W.

Resumo: Controlling the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the predominant dengue vector, requires understanding the ecological and behavioral factors that influence population abundance. Females of several mosquito species are able to identify high-quality egg-laying sites, resulting in enhanced offspring development and survival, and ultimately promoting population growth. Here, the authors investigated egg-laying decisions of Ae. aegypti. Paradoxically, they found that larval survival and development were poorest in the containers females most often selected for egg deposition. Thus, egg-laying decisions may contribute to crowding of larvae and play a role in regulating mosquito populations. The authors also tested whether removal of the containers producing the most adult mosquitoes, a World Health Organization-recommended dengue prevention strategy, changes the pattern of how females allocate their eggs. Elimination of the most productive containers led to a more even distribution of eggs in one trial, but not another. These results suggest that behavioral adjustments by egg-laying females may lessen the effectiveness of a common mosquito control tactic. The authors advocate incorporating control strategies that take advantage of the natural egg-laying preferences of this vector species, such as luring egg-laying females to traps or places where their eggs will accumulate, but not develop.

Palavras-Chave: Stocking density; Human diseases; Embryonic development; Pest control; Hosts; Larval development; Aquatic insects; Public health; Disease transmission; Fitness; Crowding; Dengue; Population growth; Abundance; Traps; Survival; Vectors; Progeny; Oviposition; Eggs; Aedes aegypti

Imprenta: Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 6, n. 5, 2012.

Descritores: Aedes aegypti - Transmission ; Aedes aegypti - Dengue ; Aedes aegypti - Public health

Data de publicação: 2012

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