Biological Control of Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) Larvae

摘要

Local larvivorous fish Aphanius dispar has potential for regulating vector mosquitoes. The consumption of larvae of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) by Rasbora daniconius, Puntius ticto and Puntius conchonius was evaluated in the presence of different prey densities under simple habitat conditions. The number of mosquito larvae consumed in fresh and ditch water at three seasons was observed. Only third and fourth instars of Culex larvae were used on a particular prey density of 1 to 10 (increase 100). The maximum and minimum value of larvae eating per day in ditch and fresh water were observed to 267 to 876 and 277 to 880 respectively. The comparisons for the pair using Tukey-Kramer HSD indicated the fact that there was non-significant difference. The respective mean values in fresh and ditch water were observed 525 and 493 respectively. The analysis of water (ditch and fresh) was nonsignificant (F = 1.0116). Rasbora daniconius species of fish played a dominating role in eating the Culex larvae in ditch and fresh water.