The effect of different diets on the reproduction of two species of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens.

Abstract

Larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti were raised on five different diets and the effects thereof on various parameters was studied. The diets used were: A = Pronutro and Tastee wheat, B = Epo 1 rat cubes, C= Breeder's Dogmor puppy chunks, D = Vital Brewer's yeast powder and E (the control) = Vital dessicated liver. The following results were obtained. 1. Fecundity appeared not to be affected by diet in both species. 2. Fertility did not appear to be affected by diet either. 3. Diets C and D significantly shortened the duration of the larval stage in C. quinquefasciatus when compared with the control Diet E. In A. aegypti diets B, C and D produced larval periods that were significantly shorter than the control. 4. The pupal stage in C. quinquefasciatus in diets C and D was also. Significantly shorter than that of the control diet E. In A. aegypti only diet B produced a pupal stage that was significantly shorter than the control. 5. Larval mortality was significantly higher than the control diet E in C. quinquefasciatus in diet group A. There was no significant differences between the experimental diet groups A to D and the control, in A. aegypti. 6. Pupa 1 mortality appeared to be unaffected by larval diet in both species. 7. Larval diet did not affect adult mortality either. 8. In C. quinquefasciatus the size of the ovaries was significantly smaller than the control in diet group B. Ovary size appeared to be unaffected by larval diet in A. aegypti. 9. Sex ratio appeared to be greatly affected by larval diet. There were significantly more males than females in diets D and E in Culex quinquefasciatus and in diets C and E in Aedes aegypti. 10. Oogenesis also appeared to be affected by larval diet. In C. quinquefasciatus oogenesis was found to be slower from 36 hours PBM in diet A. In A. aegypti oogenesis was slower in diets A and B from 60 hours PBM. The rate of oogenesis in C. quinquefasciatus was also found to be slower, than that in A. aegypti.