QUALITATIVE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT HOST BLOOD ON AEDES ALBOPICTUS (SKUSE) DIPTERA CULICIDAE

Abstract

The aim of this project was to study the qualitative effects of the blood of three different animal hosts (mouse, rabbit and guinea pig) on fecundity, egg hatchability, life cycle duration, mortality and weight of the mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in order to determine the best host for blood feeding. The relationships between egg production and female body weight and bloodmeal size were also studied in another separate experiment. Five cages, each containing 20 adult female Aedes albopictus for each treatment (in triplicates )were used, forming a total of 15 cages. Aedes albopictus females were fed on their respective hosts till repletion. The body weight, bloodmeal size, number of eggs produced, and percentage egg hatchability were recorded. Mortality and life cycle duration in the immature stages of the mosquito were recorded from egg hatching to adult emergence. The body weights of resultant adults (male and female) were also measured. Results showed that egg production, life cycle duration and immature mortality were affected by blood quality. Mouse blood was found to be the best nutritive blood, followed by guinea pig and rabbit blood, in producing significantly a large number of eggs, the shortest life cycle and the lowest mortality. In the second experiment, egg production was found to be positively correlated to female body weight and bloodmeal size.