Predation on Eggs of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): Temporal Dynamics and Identification of Potential Predators During the Winter Season in a Temperate Region

BYTTEBIER, BARBARA; FISCHER, SYLVIA

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Año: 2019 vol. 56 p. 737 - 743

0022-2585

Intemperate regions, the populations of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) remainin the egg stage during the cold season. The ability of these eggs to surviveuntil the next favorable season is affected by several mortality factors,including the action of predators. In the present study, we analyzed the temporaldynamics of the loss of eggs and identified predators of Ae.aegypti eggsalong the unfavorable season in a temperate region of Argentina. To this end, eggswere exposed in field conditions in pitfall traps, where walking arthropod taxawere captured during one-week periods from early June to early September(Austral winter). The association of arthropod taxa with the loss of eggs wasanalyzed to identify potential predators. Based on the results obtained, twotaxa were chosen to confirm their capacity to consume eggs in a laboratorystudy. The proportion of lost eggs and the abundance of predators weresignificantly higher in the winter-spring transition, although results wereheterogeneous among traps in all exposure periods. Ants of the genus Strumigenys, isopods of the species Armadillidiumvulgare, anddermapterans of the species Euborellia annulipes were positively associated witha high proportion of lost eggs. In laboratory conditions, A.vulgare and E.annulipesconsumed the offered eggs, thus confirming their predator capacity. This studyrepresents the first record of predation of Ae.aegypti eggsin temperate South America and the first evidence of dermapterans consumingmosquito eggs.