Effect of different lining paper materials and infusions on oviposition preference of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) gravid mosquitoes

Abstract

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) mosquito is a vector responsible for increasing global public health concerns due to its rapid geographical spread and increasing vectorial capacity. Understanding the breeding behavior of Ae. aegypti is crucial to control this vector and thereby limiting the spread of diseases. To study this mosquito breeding in the laboratories and ovitraps, different types of lining-papers, surrounding inner surface of a container along with different types of added infusions, are used. Lining-papers serve as surfaces for oviposition and infusions provide the essential environment for nurturing. The types of oviposition surfaces and infusions used in laboratory rearing facilities or ovitraps influence oviposition preference, changing the breeding behavior of Ae. aegypti gravid mosquitoes. This study presents a comparative study on oviposition preferences for six different types of lining-papers and six different types of infusions in a bioassay cage. ANOVA analysis shows a significant effect on oviposition preference of different types of lining-papers that served as oviposition surfaces. The highest oviposition activity was observed for the 'agri seed germination paper-75' lining-paper when normal tap water infusion was used. Likewise, statistical analysis shows that when a 'plain printing offset paper 80 GSM' lining-paper was used, a highly statistically significant effect on oviposition preference is observed for different types of infusions used in the oviposition cups.

Keywords: Aedes; Infusion; Oviposition; Surface; Yellow fever mosquito.

Fig. 1

The entire life cycle of Aedes aegypti: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This mosquito has an aquatic larva and a non-feeding pupa stage in its life cycle. The aquatic pupae are transformed into active flying adult mosquitoes at the final stage.

Fig. 2

Steps for the experimental workflow. Our experiments started with collecting fresh eggs from an existing mosquito-rearing laboratory. To observe oviposition preference of gravid mosquitoes, eggs were collected from different oviposition cups containing different oviposition lining materials and infusions.

Fig. 3

Aedes spp. rearing process (a) colony rearing room (b) larval stage (c) an artificial membrane blood-feeder setup preparation (d) appearance of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that have engorged.

Fig. 4

Schematic diagram of a bioassay cage for a multi-choice test for investigating oviposition preference.

Fig. 5

Images of different lining paper surfaces: OS-A (plain printing offset paper 80 GSM); OS-B (qualitative filter paper); OS-C (agri seed germination paper KK030); OS-D (agri seed germination paper KK029/85); OS-E (agri seed germination paper-125); OS-F (agri seed germination paper-75).

Fig. 6

Surface profile of different types of lining papers: OS-A (plain printing offset paper 80 GSM); OS-B (qualitative filter paper); OS-C (agri seed germination paper KK030); OS-D (agri seed germination paper KK029/85); OS-E (agri seed germination paper-125); OS-F (agri seed germination paper-75).

Fig. 7

Oviposition preference of Aedes aegypti gravid mosquitoes in response to the type of lining-paper surface of an oviposition container (a) effect of six types of lining-papers functioned as an oviposition surface (see Table 1) (b) mean comparison using Fisher’s Test. Here, A (plain printing offset paper 80 GSM), B (qualitative filter paper), C (agri seed germination paper KK030), D (agri seed germination paper KK029/85), E (agri seed germination paper-125), F (agri seed germination paper-75).

Fig. 8

Oviposition activity index (OAI) for a multi-choice test of Aedes aegypti gravid mosquitoes corresponding to different types of lining-papers (see Table 1) functioned as oviposition surfaces surrounding inner surface of an oviposition cup. Here, OS-A (plain printing offset paper 80 GSM), OS-B (qualitative filter paper), OS-C (agri seed germination paper KK030), OS-D (agri seed germination paper KK029/85), OS-E (agri seed germination paper-125), OS-F (agri seed germination paper-75).

Fig. 9

Oviposition preference of Aedes aegypti gravid mosquitoes corresponding to different infusions (a) effect of six types of infusions in oviposition cups (see Table 2) (b) mean comparison using Fisher’s Test. Here, A (saline water), B (normal tap water), C (only larval diet in water), D (Aedes aegypti larval-rearing water), E (larval-rearing water with Aedes albopictus larvae), F (larval rearing water with Aedes aegypti larvae).

Fig. 10

Oviposition activity index (OAI) for a multi-choice test of Aedes aegypti gravid mosquitoes corresponding to different infusions (see Table 2) used in the oviposition cups located inside a bioassay cage. Here, IN-A (saline water), IN-B (normal tap water), IN-C (only larval diet in water), IN-D (Aedes aegypti larval-rearing water), IN-E (larval-rearing water with Aedes albopictus larvae), IN-F (larval rearing water with Aedes aegypti larvae).