Water bug, Diplonychus rusticus f. (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae), could this be the solution to the problem of dengue infection vectored by mosquito?

Issue Date

10-2013

Abstract

The prey consumption of water bug Diplonychus rusticus F. (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) in the first and fifth nymphal vectors when offered A. aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) in the third and fourth larval instars was evaluated in the laboratory through predatory consumption and functional response. Pre consumption of the water bug increased with age of the predator but decreased with the age of prey. The first instar nymph consumed about 24.5± 2.23 and 19.8 ± 2.15 third and fourth instar larvae of dengue mosquito, respectively while the fifth instar nymph consumed 83.3 ± 5.57 third and fourth instar mosquito larvae, respectively for 24 hours. Baed on R2 values, Type 2 curve (prey consumption increases at a decreasing rate with prey density until it levels off at satiation) provided good fit on the functional response data for all predatory-prey combination except that of the first instar nymph fed with third instar mosquito larvae which conform with type 1 curve (feeding rate increases linearly with prey availability then abruptly levels off when satiation point is reached). Water bug proved to be an efficient predator of mosquito larvae under laboratory conditions. If the same efficiency would be exhibited by water bug in the field, then releases of the predator could be a novel approach in the management of dengue mosquito population. The potential of water bug against Anopheles flavirostris mosquito, the vector of malaria disease (Plasmodium falciparum) in Palawan should also be evaluated.

Source or Periodical Title

The Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

27

Issue

2

Page

207

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

HEMIPTERA; CULICIDAE; INSTARS; NYMPHS; PREDATION; BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS