The effects of sublethal doses of hexaflumuron on the feeding behaviour of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

This paper presents the first report on the sublethal effect of an insect growth regulator (IGR), hexaflumuron, on the feeding behaviour of vector mosquitoes, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Anopheles stephensi Liston. Percentage engorgement and feeding behaviour of the adults of the three species emerged after sublethal exposures at the larval and pupal stages were markedly affected. Depression in blood feeding was significantly higher in Aedes aegypti with lower blood engorgement ratio. The proportion of females that failed to take a blood meal was higher in A. aegypti (30.2%) than in the other species when pupae had been exposed to 0.05 mg/1 hexaflumuron. Depression in blood feeding was probably due to abnormalities in the functioning of the mouth parts and feeding behaviour. No adverse effect on the feeding activity was noticed in the Fj generation of the treated species.

Semi-Field Evaluation of some Slow-Release Insecticide Formulations against the Dengue Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti (L)

“…A similar depression in the blood feeding response was obtained with mosquito females of A. aegypti that survival from larval treatments with Altosid briquets (56%) and Dudim tablets (64%) by about 36.4 and 30.4%, respectively, as compared with control ones. Depression in the blood feeding activity may be due to larval SRF treatments affected the structure and function of muscles responsible for the movements of maxillae in mouth parts of female survivors (Vasuki, 1992). Similar reduced feeding responses have be reported by Saleh and Wright (1990) using Cyromazine against A. epacticus and Sithiprasasna et al (1996) using Methoprene against Anopheles dirus.…”