An Oviposition Pheromone Associated with the Egg Rafts of Culex tarsalis1

Oviposition of the Dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus, Megaloptera) on a Large River

“…This contagiousness suggests the possibility of an oviposition pheromone. Such chemical communication was demonstrated with pheromones associated with mosquito eggs and the egg-pods of locusts (Osgood, 1971;Norris, 1970). This communication could increase exploitation of oviposition space, although space did not appear to be a limiting factor in this study area.…”

Review of semiochemicals that mediate the oviposition of mosquitoes: a possible sustainable tool for the control and monitoring of Culicidae

“…Yet, the first scientists to erect a hypothesis concerning the existence of a pheromone that should stimulate oviposition in mosquitoes were Hudson & Mclintock (1967). Later, Osgood (1971) verified this hypothesis studying the behavior of gravid females of Culex tarsalis Coquillet which displayed a preference to lay eggs in water with conspecific larvae, instead of distilled water. With the use of gas-liquid chromatography, Starratt & Osgood (1972) detected the presence of a mixture of 1,3-diglycerides in the active fraction associated with egg oviposition of the mosquito Cx.…”

Sampling the Egg Population

“…Among the substances found to be attractive to ovipositing Culex mosquitoes are fatty acids, Pseudomonas and Aerobacter bacteria, n-capric acid and oviposition pheromones (Hazard et al 1967;Ikeshoji et al, 1975;Maw, 1970;Maw & Bracken, 1971;Osgood, 1971;Starratt & Osgood, 1972, 1973and see p. 30). Methyl propionate added to water was reported to enhance Aedes aegypti oviposition (Fay & Perry, 1965;Klowden & Blackmer, 1987), but Reiter et al (1991) failed to find this was a useful attractant in oviposition traps.…”

“…This observation needs further evaluation, but it seems unlikely that snail contaminated water will prove more attractive then water containing yeast, oats, leaf litter and other debris that are more usually placed in ovitraps. Other examples of experiments to demonstrate oviposition attractants or stimulants include those on Aedes aegypti (Benzon & Apperson, 1988;Roberts & Hsi, 1977;Soman & Reuben, 1970), Aedes triseriatus , Aedes togoi (Trimble & Wellington, 1980), Aedes atropalpus (Kalpage & Brust, 1973;Maire, 1984Maire, , 1985Roberts & Hsi, 1977), Aedes communis (Maire & Langis, 1985) and Culex tarsalis (Hudson & McLintock, 1967;Osgood, 1971). Knight & Corbet (1991) give useful references to studies that have identified various chemicals as oviposition attractants.…”