| Abstract: | The survival time (ST) of the preparasitic larvae of Rornanomermis culicivorax was determined by measuring motility at 1, 6, 12, 18, 21, 27, 30, and 37 C; the ST₅₀ at each of these temperatures was 2.3, 2.2, 2.0, 2.0, 1.7, 1.6, 0.9, and 0.7 days, respectively. About one-third of the preparasites infected first-instar larvae of Culex pipiens within 24 h at 27 C. The preparasites were infective at 12 to 33 C with the optimum infectivity at 21-33 C. Lower temperatures decreased the percent infectivity but increased the time that the nematodes remained infective. The time required for host infection increased as the preparasitic larvae aged at 15, 21, and 27 C. |
