Abstract
Larvae of Aedes albopictus Skuse typically inhabit natural and artificial containers. Since these larval habitats are replenished by rainfall, Ae. albopictus may experience increased loss of immature stages in areas with high levels of rainfall. In this study, we investigated the effects of rainfall and container water level on population density, and oviposition activity of Ae. albopictus. In field and laboratory experiments, we found that rainfall resulted in the flushing of breeding habitats. Excess rain negatively impacted larval and pupal retention, especially in small habitats. When filled with water to overflowing, container habitats were significantly repellent to ovipositing females. Taken together, these data suggest that rainfall triggers population loss of Ae. albopictus and related species through a direct detrimental effect (flushing out) and an indirect effect (ovipositional repellency).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad F, Ahmad SY, Farooqi MA (2006) Characterization and geotechnical properties of Penang residual soils with emphasis on landslides. Am J Environ Sciences 2:121–128
Burke DS, Monath TP (2001) Flaviviruses. In: Knipe DM, Howley PM, Griffin DE, Lamb RA, Martin MA, Roizman B (eds) Fields’ virology, vol. 1. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 1043–1126
Clements AN (1963) Physiology of mosquitoes. Pergamon, New York
Delatte H, Gimonneau G, Triboire A, Fontenille D (2009) Influence of temperature on immature development, survival, longevity, fecundity and gonotrophic cycles of Aedes albopictus (Skuse), vector of chikungunya and dengue in the Indian Ocean. J Med Entomol 46:33–41
Dieng H, Mwandawiro C, Boots M, Morales RM, Satho T, Tuno N, Tsuda Y, Takagi M (2002) Leaf litter decay process and the growth performance of Aedes albopictus larvae. J Vect Ecol 2:31–38
Dieng H, Boots M, Tsuda Y, Takagi M (2003) A laboratory oviposition study in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) with reference to habitat size, leaf litter and their interactions. Med Entomol Zool 54:43–50
Dieng H, Boots M, Tuno N, Tsuda Y, Takagi M (2006) A laboratory and field evaluation of Macrocyclops distinctus, Megacyclops viridis and Mesocyclops pehpeiensis as control agents of the dengue vector Aedes albopictus in a peridomestic area in Nagasaki, Japan. Med Vet Entomol 16:285–291
Dieng H, Satho T, Eshita Y (2007) The effects of male on the blood feeding behavior of the dengue vector Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae): Implications for the laboratory oral feeding of Aedes vectors. Jpn J Environ Entomol Zool 18:17–22
Fish D, Carpenter SR (1982) Leaf litter and larval mosquito dynamics in tree-hole ecosystems. Ecology 63:283–288
Foo LC, Lim TW, Lee HL, Fang R (1985) Rainfall, abundance of Aedes aegypti and dengue infection in Selangor, Malaysia. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 16:560–568
Gratz NG (2004) Critical review of the vector status of Aedes albopictus. Med Vet Entomol 18:215–227
Hawley WA (1988) The biology of Aedes albopictus. J Am Mosq Contr Assoc 4(suppl 1):1–40
Hill J, Lines J, Rowland M (2006) Insecticide treated nets. Adv Parasitol 61:77–128
Hornby JA, Moore DE, Miller TW Jr (1994) Aedes albopictus distribution, abundance, and colonization in Lee County, Florida, and its effect on Aedes aegypti. J Am Mosq Contr Assoc 10:397–402
Koenraadt CJ, Harrington LC (2008) Flushing effect of rain on container-inhabiting mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 45:28–35
Konishi E (1989) Susceptibility of Aedes albopictus and Culex tritaeniorhynchus collected in Miki City. Japan to Dirofilaria immitis. J Med Entomol 26(420–424):423
Lo EKC, Narimah A (1984) Epidemiology of dengue disease in Malaysia, 1973–1982. J Malays Soc Health 4:27–35
Madon MB, Hazelrigg JE, Shaw MW, Kluh S, Mulla MS (2003) Has Aedes albopictus established in California? J Am Mosq Contr Assoc 19:297–300
Malavige GN, Fernando S, Fernando DJ, Seneviratne SL (2004) Dengue viral infections. Postgrad Med J 80:588–601
Mitchell CJ (1991) Vector competence of North and South American strains of Aedes albopictus for certain arboviruses: a review. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 7:446–451
Mitchell CJ, Haramis LD, Karabatsos N, Smith GC, Starwalt VJ (1998) Isolation of La Crosse, Cache Valley, and Potosi viruses from Aedes mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) collected at used-tire sites in Illinois during 1994–1995. J Med Entomol 35:573–577
Paaijmans KP, Wandago MO, Githeko AK, Takken W (2007) Unexpected high losses of Anopheles gambiae larvae due to rainfall. PLoS ONE 2(11):e1146
Rahman GMS, Dieng H, Abu HA, MR. Che Salmah MR, Satho T, Boots M, Sazaly A (2010) The effects of moisture on the oviposition behaviour and larval eclosion of Aedes albopictus. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 26:373–380
Roiz D, Rosà R, Arnoldi D, Rizzoli A (2010) Effects of temperature and rainfall on the activity and dynamics of host-seeking Aedes albopictus females in northern Italy. Vector-Borne Zoonotic Dis 10(8):811–816. doi:10.1089/vbz.2009.0098.
Rozilawati H, Zairi J, Adanan CR (2007) Seasonal abundance of Aedes albopictus in selected urban and suburban areas in Penang, Malaysia. Trop Biomed 24:83–94
Simard F, Nchoutpouen E, Toto JC, Fontenille D (2005) Geographic distribution and breeding site preference of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Cameroon, Central Africa. J Med Entomol 42:726–731
Shroyer DA (1986) Aedes albopictus and arboviruses: a concise review of the literature. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 2:424–428
Strickman D (1980) Stimuli affecting selection of oviposition sites by Aedes vexans (Diptera: Culicidae): moisture. Mosq News 40:236–245
Sota T, Mogi M, Hayamizu E (1992) Seasonal distribution and habitat selection by Aedes albopictus and Ae. riversi (Diptera: Culicidae) in northern Kyushu, Japan. J Med Entomol 29:296–304
Systat® 13 software (2009) Systat 13 for windows: Statistics. SPSS Inc, Chicago
Tsuda Y, Takagi M, Wada Y (1994) Ecological study on mosquito community in tree holes in Nagasaki, Japan, with reference to Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). Jpn J Sanit Zool 45:103–111
Xue RD, Barnard DR, Ali A (2001) Laboratory and field evaluation of insect repellents as oviposition deterrents against the mosquitoes, Aedes albopictus. Med Vet Entomol 15:126–131
Zakaria R, Mansor A, Fadzly N, Rosely N, Mansor M (2009) Comparison of plant communities at six study plots in Penang forest reserves, Malaysia. Trop Ecol 50:259–265
Acknowledgments
We thank the team of the Vector Control Unit of the School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. The authors are grateful to the students for their assistance during experiments. This research was partially funded by grants 07-05-16-MG1-GMB15 and 1001/PBIOLOGI/842004.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dieng, H., Rahman, G.M.S., Abu Hassan, A. et al. The effects of simulated rainfall on immature population dynamics of Aedes albopictus and female oviposition. Int J Biometeorol 56, 113–120 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-011-0402-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-011-0402-0