Fecundity of naturally bloodfed Culiseta melanura

Abstract

Naturally bloodfed Culiseta melanura were collected annually from resting boxes in and around a swamp in Oswego County, NY from 1982 to 1989. Females were held individually in a laboratory until they oviposited. Except in 1982, every other female was provided a 10% dextrose solution. Females were classed as alive or dead following oviposition and female size was based on abdomen length, measured after oviposition. Egg rafts from each female were held individually and the numbers of larvae and unhatched eggs were counted. Fecundity (number of eggs laid per female) was based on number of larvae plus unhatched eggs. Rafts from 2,120 females averaged 129 eggs and 106 larvae per raft. Rafts from females that were alive following oviposition were significantly larger and produced more larvae than those of females that died following oviposition. Availability of sugar influenced female survival but not egg raft production. Size and fecundity of females decreased from May through September. These differences were attributed to the temperature and larval density of breeding crypts. Seasonal changes in size may influence the vector efficiency of Cs. melanura.