title: Evaluation of Mesocyclops aspericornis (Cyclopoida:Cyclopidae) and Toxorhynchites speciosus as integrated predators of mosquitoes in tire habitats in Queensland.
abstract: This study addressed biological control of peridomestic Aedes notoscriptus, known to be a highly effective colonizer of tire habitats and a possible vector of Ross River virus. A laboratory trial of the compatibility of the predators Mesocyclops aspericornis and Toxorhynchites speciosus in small container habitats showed that 4th-instar Tx. speciosus did not significantly affect M. aspericornis mortality. Introduced M. aspericornis and naturally occurring Tx. speciosus were found to form a compatible predator pair for reduction of larval Ae. notoscriptus and Culex quinquefasciatus populations in tire habitats. Over 22 months of field survey, 97% of tires without predators contained mosquito larvae, at a median density of 43 larvae/liter. By comparison, 51% of tires containing both predator species held mosquito larvae at a median density of 4 larvae/liter. Predation by Tx. speciosus persisted for the duration of the study. The inability of the Lake Kurwongbah strain of M. aspericornis to tolerate temperatures of < or = 10 degrees C, which are prevalent in Brisbane during winter, resulted in a failure to deliver persistent reduction of mosquitoes in tires. The temperature-dependent population characteristics of M. aspericornis emphasize the long-recognized importance of matching a biological control candidate's physiological requirements to the environment in which control is sought.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hendrikz
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kay
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D003445:Crustacea; D009033:Culicidae; D007814:Larva; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D011793:Queensland; D013696:Temperature