Laboratory colonisation of Mansoniamosquitos

Extract

A technique is described for maintaining colonies of mosquitos belonging to the genus Mansonia, subgenus Mansonioides, which have root-piercing larvae and pupae. The colonies are maintained in the absence of living plants. The females lay their eggs on discs of wet-strength crepe paper floating on the surface of water in small 10 × 6–cm. containers. Sheets of the same paper, 14 × 10 cm., stand vertically in the larval infusion bowls and the larvae attach themselves to, and pupate on, these sheets of paper, which contain air spaces. The papers are changed three times a week and this ensures an adequate air supply for the aquatic stages. The larval infusion is produced by soaking pellets of a proprietary animal-diet (Diet 18) in water, at the rate of 20 g. pellets per 1,500 cc. tap water, allowing to stand 3–7 days and using diluted 1:5 with water. The infusion in each larval bowl is stabilised by a block of turf, and yeast is added three times a week; this ensures a continuous supply of micro-organisms on which the larvae feed. The pupae are removed whilst still attached to the sheets of paper, these being transferred to covered bowls, containing tap water and a turf block, in which the adult mosquitos emerge. Pupal mortality is found to be about 40 per cent. With this technique, monthly production of adults has averaged about 2,000 and 1,300 in two insectaries, but has continued to fluctuate between wide limits. The fluctuations have not shown seasonal periodicity, but the numbers produced per month in the two insectaries are correlated significantly, although the insectaries are managed independently. This may reflect variations in the balance of micro-organisms in the standard nutrient infusions used, which could affect mortality amongst firstinstar larvae.