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
Repository Citation
EDGERLY, JANICE S.; WILLEY, MICHELLE S.; and LIVDAHL, TODD P., "The community ecology of Aedes egg hatching: implications for a mosquito invasion" (1993). Biology. 418.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_biology/418
Cross Post Location
Student Publications