Biology

The community ecology of Aedes egg hatching: implications for a mosquito invasion

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Abstract. 1. A recently introduced treehole mosquito from Asia, Aedes albopictus, is spreading throughout eastern North America, especially in tyre‐refuse piles. Previous studies have identified inhibitory effects of larvae on egg hatch as a potential population regulatory mechanism within Aedes. Larva‐egg interactions may also occur between species. This experiment assesses the ability of larvae of A. albopictus and two possible competitors in North America, A.triseriatus and A.aegypti, to suppress hatching of conspecific and congeneric eggs. 2. We exposed eggs of each species to varying combinations of larval species and density for 24h and assessed subsequent hatch rates. Aedes albopictus eggs exhibited the lowest level of inhibition when exposed to high larval densities; moreover, at the lowest larval density they imposed the most intense interspecific hatch inhibition. 3. Discretionary hatching in response to larval density may influence community composition by promoting the spread of A.albopictus, perhaps even leading to its dominance within North American Aedes communities. Copyright © 1993, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved

Publication Title

Ecological Entomology

Publication Date

1993

Volume

18

Issue

2

First Page

123

Last Page

128

ISSN

0307-6946

DOI

10.1111/j.1365-2311.1993.tb01193.x

Keywords

Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Aedes triseriatus, biological invasion, egg hatch inhibition, interspecific competition, mosquito, treehole communities

Cross Post Location

Student Publications

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