Laboratory Evaluation on the Predatory Efficacy of Naturally Occurring Toxorhynchites amboinensis Doleschall (Diptera:Culicidae) on Aedes aegyti Linn., Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Culex quiquefasciatus Say (Diptera:Culicidae) Larvae in Cavite, Philippines

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2019Source: Biological ControlAuthor(s): Jonathan R. Digma, Augusto C. Sumalde, Cristina C. SalibayAbstractThe spread of arboviral disease in the Province of Cavite, Philippines has resulted to the declaration of state of calamities, contributes to disease burden and higher economic costs for the province and its population. The use of biological control agents like the naturally occurring non - hematophagous Toxorhynchites species with predatory capacity at its larval stage can be explored as an alternative approach to environmentally degrading chemical insecticides. Laboratory assessment of the predatory efficacy of wild type Toxorhynchites amboinensis was done independently against Aedes aegyti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quiquefasciatus prey larvae. Field collected Toxorhynchites amboinensis from the selected areas of Cavite were reared until adult stage and were allowed to oviposit their rearing cages as a source of test insect. Using similar larval instar for the predator and prey species, predatory larvae were individually exposed to 20 and 40 prey densities in plastic cups. Predatory efficacy test was significantly different between the two prey densities offered. Higher predation rate that ranges from 19.5 to 20.4 (48.75 - 51.00%) were recorded in the predatory larvae exposed to higher prey densities. Analysis of the predatory impact (PI) also revealed significant differences among the larval instars. The 4th instar larva wa...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research