Interactions between mosquito larvae and mucilaginous plant seeds. III. Factors influencing attachment of larvae to seeds and their subsequent mortality.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

1976

Original Publication

Mosquito News

Volume

36

Series / Issue

Issue: 3

Pages

301-307

Contributed by

American Mosquito Control Association

Notes

Author(s) - Barber, J. T., C. R. Page, III, A. I. Berger and L. D. Hohenschutz.

 

Abstract

Various factors affecting attachment of mosquito larvae to mucilaginous plant seeds of these factors upon larval mortality. It has been shown that heat-killed seeds are able to entrap and cause the death of larvae after either brief or prolonged soaking and that sequential soaking and drying of the seeds did not remove their ability to subsequently entrap larvae. The pH of the medium in which attachment trials were performed influenced the percentage of larvae becoming entrapped. The attraction of larvae to seeds decreased with increasing age of larvae suggesting that the decreased attachment of larvae with age may have a basis in something other than mere physical size. Further attraction tests indicated that larval populations were homogenous with regard to individuals responses to chemo-attractant.

Notes

Author(s) - Barber, J. T., C. R. Page, III, A. I. Berger and L. D. Hohenschutz.