title: Proportions of eggs laid by Aedes aegypti on different substrates within an ovitrap in Trinidad, West Indies.
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.
authors.affiliation: Insect Vector Control Division, Ministry of Health, St Joseph, Trinidad.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Chadee
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Corbet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Talbot
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D010058:Oviposition / Q000502:physiology; D010063:Ovum; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago