Proportions of eggs laid by Aedes aegypti on different substrates within an ovitrap in Trinidad, West Indies |
| |
Authors: | DAVE D. CHADEE,PHILIP S. CORBET ,HELEN TALBOT&dagger |
| |
Affiliation: | Insect Vector Control Division, Ministry of Health, St Joseph, Trinidad;*I.C.A.P.B., University of Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K;†Computing Services, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K |
| |
Abstract: | Abstract. Ovitraps were exposed outdoors during wet and dry seasons in Trinidad to determine the proportions of eggs laid on three substrates: the widely-used hardboard 'paddle' (P), the water surface (W) and the inside surface of the ovitrap wall (S) in three types of blackened ovitrap: round, glass (RG), round, plastic (RP) and rectangular, plastic (SP). Of the 3556 eggs obtained, most (86.4%) were laid during the wet season when statistically significant differences were detected between substrates but not between ovitrap types. Most eggs (>80%) were laid on P, significantly fewer ( P < 0.005) on W, on S and on W + S, thus confirming the superiority of the paddle as a device for monitoring oviposition activity. Implications of these findings for the interpretation of Aedes studies using ovitraps are discussed. |
| |
Keywords: | Aedes aegypti mosquitoes oviposition ovitrap Trinidad |
|
|