Differential environmental preferences of gravid female Aedes mosquitoes in ovipositing their eggs.

A prospective field study was carried out to investigate any preferential differences of gravid female Aedes mosquitoes in ovipositing their eggs in man-made containers placed in different environmental conditions. The findings of this study show that gravid female Aedes mosquitoes preferred to breed in containers found in the outdoor garden than those placed on the patio and or inside the house. The findings also show that if the breeding habitats in the garden were removed, they would favorably use the breeding habitats found on the patio or inside the house as alternatives. An incidental interesting finding in this study shows that ultra-low volume fogging of insecticides using the vehicle-mounted equipment carried out outside the house may promote the gravid female Aedes mosquitoes to enter the house to breed.

Differential preferences of oviposition by Aedes mosquitos in man-made containers under field conditions.

A study was made of the oviposit behavior of gravid female Aedes mosquitos in man-made habitats under field conditions. The study showed that the gravid female Aedes mosquitos preferred containers with relatively easy access but not too open to external environmental influence. The dark surface of the containers served as the initial and long-range attractant to the breeding sites. Volatile chemicals generated by the decaying vegetation in the container may serve as a close-range attractant. Finally, the water quality and the quantity of 'food' derived from decaying vegetative matter in the water determined the amount of eggs deposited in each container. The study confirmed previous findings that each gravid female Aedes mosquito had the tendency to lay her eggs in more than one container. However, the results of the study suggests that under favorable conditions, each gravid female Aedes mosquito could be encouraged to lay all her eggs in a single breeding site.