Preliminary field observations on the killing behavior of Toxorhynchites amboinensis larvae
Taylor, D.S.
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 5(3): 444-445
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 8756-971X PMID: 2573693 Document Number: 326848
Observations in Florida indicated that larvae of T. amboinensis which had been introduced into tyres containing larvae of Aedes aegypti often killed larvae of that species; this 'killing behaviour' occurred as early as age 9 days and continued until pupation (days 15-19). Larval counts of A. aegypti at the beginning of the experiment ranged from 50 to 300 per tyre, and the total number of larvae killed per tyre ranged from 6 to 126 over a 12-day-period. With the exception of 2 pupae, only 3rd- and 4th-instar larvae were found killed. There was a direct correlation between A. aegypti larval density and killing intensity (r = 0.55). The killing behaviour of T. amboinensis does occur under field conditions and is not a laboratory artifact.