A study on the breeding patterns of Toxorhynchites splendens and Aedes albopictus in the natural environment

This study aimed to investigate the breeding patterns of Toxorhynchites and Aedes mosquitoes in Kesbewa in the District of Colombo. The number of Ae. albopictus  larvae per tyre dropped markedly with  increasing number of Tx. splendens larvae per tyre (Pearson correlation = - 0.588,  P<0.05). Ae. albopictus pupae per tyre with a weekly average of 6.7 was recorded in the presence of  Tx. splendens larvae with a value of 1.7 weekly average. Tx. splendens larvae per tyre per visit showed positive linear correlation with temperature (Pearson correlation = 0.622, P<0.05), negative linear correlation with rainfall (Pearson correlation = -0.521, P<0.05) and there was no linear correlation with relative humidity (Pearson correlation= 0.020, P>0.05).  Container Indices (CI) of 50.00% and 12.50% for cement tanks and tyres respectively were recorded for Tx. splendens while the respective values for Ae. albopictus amounted 50.00% and 62.50%.  For discarded receptacles and others such as bird baths the values were respectively 2.45% and 0% for Tx. splendens and 27.87% and 50.00% for  Ae. albopictus.

Key words : Toxorhynchites splendens; Aedes albopictus

Vidyodaya Journal of Science Vol.14(2) 35-45