This investigation compared color and artificial container size as attractants for the gravid female Aedes triseriatus (Eastern Tree-hole Mosquito) oviposition site selection. Three colors (white, green, and black) were investigated in combination with two container sizes (3672 ml and 12,000 ml). Presence of mosquito larvae was used to determine percent occupancy of containers. Black containers were selected in 70% of trials, compared to 63% for green containers and 41% for white containers. Large containers were selected more frequently (72% of trials) than small containers (44% of trials). Results suggest that container size may serve as an important selective cue for A. triseriatus and may take precedence over color when gravid female mosquitoes are given the choice. Our results provide further insight into the complexity of cues that influence mosquito oviposition behavior.
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1 June 2013
Color and Container Size Affect Mosquito (Aedes triseriatus) Oviposition
Gary Joseph Torrisi,
W. Wyatt Hoback
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Northeastern Naturalist
Vol. 20 • No. 2
June 2013
Vol. 20 • No. 2
June 2013