Laboratory colonization of Aedes lineatopennis

Abstract

Aedes lineatopennis, a species member of subgenous Neomelaniconion, can be colonized for more than 10 successive generations from 30 egg batches of wild-caught femeles. The oviposited eggs need to be incubated in a moisture chamber at least 7 days for the complete embryonation, and following immersion of these eggs in the 0.25-2% hay-fermented water, egg hatching is stimulated of which 61-66% hatched. Larvae are easily reared in 0.25-1% hay-fermented water and provided with suspended powder of equal weight of wheat germ, dry yeast, and oatmeal as the food. Larval development was complete 4-6 days. The pupal stage lasted 3-4 days and nearly all pupae reached the adult stage (87-91%). The adults had to mate artificially and 5-day-old male was proven to be the best age for induced copulation. Three to five-day-old females kept in a paper cup were fed easily on anaesthetized golden hamster that was placed on the top-screen. The average number of egg per gravid female was 63.56 ± 22.93. Unfed females and males kept in a paper cup and fed on 5% multivitamin-syrup solution lived up to 43.17 ± 12.63 (9-69) and 15.90 ± 7.24 (2.39) days, respectively, in the insectarium condition of 27 ± 2°C and 70-80% R.H.