Assessment of the correlation between wing size and body weight in captive Culex quinquefasciatus

Introduction: Mass production of mosquitoes under laboratory conditions allows implementing methods to control vector mosquitoes. Colony development depends on mosquito size and weight. Body size can be estimated from its correlation with wing size, whereas weight is more difficult to determine. Our goal was to test whether wing size can predict the weight. Methods: We compared dry weight and wing centroid size of Culex quinquefasciatus reared at different temperatures and four diets. Results: Weight and wing size were strongly correlated. The diets did not influence wing size. Conclusions: Wing centroid size is a good predictor of Cx. quinquefasciatus body weight

New Records of Mosquitoes Carrying Dermatobia hominis Eggs in the State of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil

We found 4 species of mosquitoes bearing eggs of the human botfly, Dermatobia hominis, in the Reserva Municipal de Trabiju, Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The mosquitoes were simultaneously collected in landing–biting catches by 2 collectors. From a total of 6,902 specimens collected from January through April 2010, the 15 females carrying D. hominis eggs belonged to Aedes scapularis, Limatus durhamii, Onirion personatum, and Wyeomyia confusa. The first 3 species are new reports of phoresy among mosquitoes and the human botfly...