Diversity and Distribution of Culicidian Fauna in Urban and Rural Areas of Setif Region (North-East Algeria).

The study explored larval mosquito breeding sites in urban and rural areas from March 2021 to February 2022 in the North-East region of Algeria to provide information on larval biology and ecology of different mosquito species. It focused on the effect of the physicochemical characteristics of the breeding sites (pH and water temperature), area, and months on the larval mosquito abundance. Diversity index and equitability were calculated for the registered mosquito species in both areas.

Release of sterile Aedes aegypti mosquitoes: chilling effect on mass-reared males survival and escape ability and on irradiated males sexual competitiveness.

In the sterile insect technique, it is important to measure the impact of mass-rearing and handling of sterile males to allow a successful control of the target wild population. This study evaluates the effect of pre-release chilling on the survival, escape ability, and sexual competitiveness of male Aedes aegypti. To determine survival and escape ability, mosquitoes were chilled at 4 °C using four different treatments of either one exposure (25 min) or two consecutive exposures (25 + 25 min, 25 + 50 min, 25 + 100 min).

Acceptance of a sterile male releases pilot project to reduce Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) populations and its associated factors: A community-based cross-sectional survey in South Chiapas, Mexico.

Worldwide, vector-transmitted diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases and cause more than 700,000 deaths annually. The primary strategy to control the transmission of dengue, chikungunya and Zika focuses on the control of their vectors. Vector control programs depend mainly on the use of insecticides.

Effect of the Rural and Urban Microclimate on Mosquito Richness and Abundance in Yucatan State, Mexico.

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the rural and urban microclimate on the presence of mosquitoes. Temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH; indoors and outdoors), as well as mosquito richness and abundance were measured in two sites (urban and rural) of the Yucatan State, Mexico. Species richness was higher in the urban site, whereas mosquito abundance was higher in the rural site.

Comparison of Ground Release and Drone-Mediated Aerial Release of Sterile Males in Southern Mexico: Efficacy and Challenges.

Sterile males of Aedes aegypti were released once a week for 8 weeks to evaluate the dispersal efficiency of ground and aerial drone release methods in a rural village of 26 Ha in southern Mexico. Indoor and outdoor BG-Sentinel traps were placed in 13−16 houses distributed throughout the village. The BG traps were activated 48 h after the release of the sterile males and functioned for a 24 h period following each release.

Sexual Competitiveness and Induced Egg Sterility by and Gamma-Irradiated Males: A Laboratory and Field Study in Mexico.

The sterile insect technique may prove useful for the suppression of mosquito vectors of medical importance in regions where arboviruses pose a serious public health threat. In the present study, we examined the effects of sterilizing irradiation doses across different ratios of fertile:irradiated males on the mating competitiveness of and under laboratory and field-cage conditions. For both species, the percentage of females inseminated and the number of eggs laid over two gonotrophic cycles varied significantly in mating treatments involving 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 fertile:irradiated males compared to controls of entirely fertile or entirely irradiated males but was not generally affected by the irradiation dose.

Emerging arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, and Zika) in Southeastern Mexico: influence of socio-environmental determinants on knowledge and practices.

The proliferation of arboviruses and their vectors is influenced by a complex interplay between vector, environment and human behaviors. The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of socio-environmental determinants on knowledge and practices regarding arboviruses transmission, among the residents of three communities on the southern border of Mexico. Between June 2017 and August 2018, a set of 149 households from three communities of Tapachula (Chiapas) and Villahermosa (Tabasco) were covered.

Assessment of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Males Flight Ability for SIT Application: Effect of Device Design, Duration of Test, and Male Age.

The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a pest control method where large numbers of sterile males are released to induce sterility in wild populations. Since a successful SIT application depends on the released sterile males being competitive with wild males, standard quality control tests are a necessary component of any SIT program. Flight ability (ability to fly out from a device) is a reliable indicator of insect quality.

Author Correction: A rapid quality control test to foster the development of genetic control in mosquitoes.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Optimization of irradiation dose to Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus in a sterile insect technique program.

The sterile insect technique (SIT) may offer a means to control the transmission of mosquito borne diseases. SIT involves the release of male insects that have been sterilized by exposure to ionizing radiation. We determined the effects of different doses of radiation on the survival and reproductive capacity of local strains of Aedes aegypti and Ae.

A rapid quality control test to foster the development of genetic control in mosquitoes.

Vector-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths per year. Alternative methods of mosquito control to insecticides such as genetic control techniques are thus urgently needed. In genetic techniques involving the release of sterile insects, it is critical to release insects of high quality.

Predation of Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae) by Norops serranoi (Reptilia: Polychrotidae): functional response and evasion ability.

The Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), is one of the 10 worldwide more important fruit crop pests. Orchards of southeastern Chiapas also shelter the tree-dwelling lizard Norops serranoi (Köhler), which likely prey upon these flies. In standard laboratory conditions, we determined the functional response of four male and four female lizards on mass-reared fruit flies.

Chemically mediated burrow recognition in the Mexican tarantula Brachypelma vagans female.

Chemically mediated communication is common in spiders but has been poorly studied in burrowing tarantulas. This study aimed to determine whether chemical cues influence the behaviour of females of Brachypelma vagans, a Mexican species of tarantula, during encounters with previously inhabited burrows or with extracts from the silk of conspecific females. In laboratory choice tests, female tarantulas entered a burrow that had previously been inhabited by a conspecific female significantly more frequently than a burrow that had never been inhabited.