Infusion-baited ovitraps to survey ovipositional height preferences of container-inhabiting mosquitoes in two Florida habitats.
To ascertain mosquito species-specific oviposition height preferences, a study was conducted evaluating the response of field populations of container-inhabiting mosquitoes to water, oak (Quercus spp.),or oak-pine (Pinus spp.) infusion-baited ovitraps in four suburban and four sylvatic habitats in north central Florida. In total, 48 ovitraps, 24 suspended at each height of 1 or 6 m (near the ground or tree canopy, respectively), were monitored weekly for 5 mo. Throughout our study, we collected 13,276 mosquito eggs, representing five species from four genera, the most common being Aedes triseriatus (Say), Aedes albopictus Skuse, and Orthopodomyia signifera (Coquillett). Significantly more Ae. triseriatus and Ae. albopictus eggs were oviposited in containers with oak and oak-pine infusions compared with water alone. Significantly more Ae. albopictus eggs were recovered from traps at 1 m in suburban habitats, whereas more Ae. triseriatus eggs were recovered at 6 m in sylvatic habitats.
Obenauer
P J
PJ
Department of Entomology and Nematology, P.O. Box 110620, Bldg. 970, Natural Area Dr., University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. pjoben@ufl.edu
Kaufman
P E
PE
Allan
S A
SA
Kline
D L
DL
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D009033:Culicidae / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D005431:Florida; D010058:Oviposition; D010063:Ovum / Q000145:classification; D013045:Species Specificity