A Preliminary Study on the Relationship between Arthropod Diversity and Vegetation Diversity in Four Contrasting Ecosystems in Hanthana Mountain Range of Sri Lanka, during the Post-Monsoon Dry Season.

This study assesses the relationship between arthropod and vegetation diversity in four ecosystems with different types of vegetation, during a post-monsoonal season. We determined the arthropod diversity in vegetation surrounding an aquatic environment (AQ), a broad-leaved wet, evergreen forest ecosystem (BL), a monoculture plantation (PN), and a plantation artificially enriched with indigenous broad-leaved tree species (PNEN) located in the Hanthana mountain range, Sri Lanka. Arthropods randomly sampled from three randomly selected sites (5 m × 5 m) of each ecosystem were identified up to the highest possible taxa using standard identification keys.

Assessing the Filariasis Causing Parasites in Adult Mosquitoes and the Vector Mosquito Larval Breeding in Selected Medical Officer of Health Areas in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka.

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of filariasis causing parasites in adult mosquitoes and vector mosquito larval breeding in four Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. Adult female mosquitoes at their resting places were collected using a prokopack aspirator operated twice a day from 7.00 am to 8.

Naturally Occurring Microbiota Associated with Mosquito Breeding Habitats and Their Effects on Mosquito Larvae.

Immature mosquitoes are aquatic, and their distribution, abundance, and individual fitness in a particular breeding habitat are known to be dependent on mainly three factors: biotic factors, abiotic factors, and their interaction between each other and with other associated taxa. Mosquito breeding habitats harbor a diversified naturally occurring microbiota assemblage, and the biota have different types of interactions with mosquito larvae in those habitats. Those interactions may include parasitism, pathogenism, predation, and competition which cause the mortality of larvae, natural reduction of larval abundance, or alterations in their growth.

Naturally Occurring Microbiota in Dengue Vector Mosquito Breeding Habitats and Their Use as Diet Organisms by Developing Larvae in the Kandy District, Sri Lanka.

Naturally occurring microbiota in mosquito larval habitats are among biotic factors which affect the population dynamics of developing larvae. Many microbiota species serve as food items for vector mosquito larvae, and food limitations within habitats adversely affect larval survival, developmental rate, adult fitness, and thereby vector competence. Therefore, identification of microbiota as associates with larvae reveals their relationship between each other as parasites, pathogens, epibionts, or diet organisms.

Larvicidal Effect of (Ehrenberg, 1830) on Mosquito Larvae, and Morphological Changes under Induced Environmental Conditions.

Development of microbiota assemblage usually occurs in all most all domestic and peridomestic mosquito breeding habitats. There may be parasitic, epibiont, pathogenic, or even predatory species among this biota, and to investigate their potential against the mosquito population is worth studying. This may contribute to formulating environmentally agreeable approaches in controlling mosquitoes which is a current need.

Comparative study on larvicidal activity of green synthesized silver nanoparticles and (Annonaceae) aqueous extract to control and (Diptera: Culicidae).

The present study reports mosquito larvicidal potential of green synthesized silver nanoparticles by using leaves (An-AgNPs). Synthesized An-AgNPs were characterized by Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Colur change from pale yellow to brick red of the plant extract and AgNO solution indicated the formation of An-AgNPs initially.

Naturally Occurring Microbiota Associated with Mosquito Breeding Habitats and Potential Parasitic Species against Mosquito Larvae: A Study from Gampaha District, Sri Lanka.

A mosquito species has its own favourable requirements of abiotic and biotic characteristics including microbiota, in a breeding habitat. Some of the microbiota may cause parasitic or pathogenic effects to mosquito larvae such as species of viruses, parasitic bacteria, fungi, protists, entomopathogenic nematodes, and filamentous fungi. In Sri Lanka, there is a scarcity of information on microbiota associated with mosquito breeding habitats and their effect on mosquito larvae.

Diversity and Species Composition of Microbiota Associated with Mosquito Breeding Habitats: A Study from Kurunegala District in Sri Lanka.

The pool of microbiota associated with mosquito breeding habitats varies with the habitat type and its characteristic features. The pool of microbiota in a given mosquito breeding habitat can include free living, symbiotic, noncompetitive, parasitic, predatory, and toxin producing species. However, in Sri Lanka the studies on the microbiota associated with mosquito breeding habitats are scarce.

Pheromone baited biopesticide for control of Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee in brinjal plant.

Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee, Brinjal fruit and shoot borer (BFSB), is the major pest on brinjal world wide. Larvae of this pest cause the damage; which at initial stages adversely affect the shoot growth, and in later stages diminish fruit quality. Spraying of insecticides is the main pest control method.

Determination of the efficiency of diets for larval development in mass rearing Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

Larval diet quality and rearing conditions have a direct and irreversible effect on adult traits. Therefore, the current study was carried out to optimize the larval diet for mass rearing of Aedes aegypti, for Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)-based applications in Sri Lanka. Five batches of 750 first instar larvae (L1) of Ae.

The mystery of the split earlobe.

The ancient art of body piercing has rejuvenated in the recent years as part of the fashion process. The ear is the most frequent body part to be pierced to wear jewelry. Split earlobes are commonly presented to plastic surgeons and the recurrence rate is high.