Gf. Omeara et al., EXOTIC TANK BROMELIADS HARBORING IMMATURE AEDES-ALBOPICTUS AND AEDES BAHAMENSIS (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) IN FLORIDA, JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY, 20(2), 1995, pp. 216-224
Water impounded by the leaves of ground-dwelling, exotic tank bromelia
ds was sampled for immature mosquitoes at eight sites in Florida. At t
wo north Florida sites, where Wyeomyia mosquitoes were absent, more th
an 50 percent of the water-holding plant contained immature Aedes albo
pictus (Skuse). The frequency of plant with Ae, albopictus was signifi
cantly lower at sites where Wyeomyia spp. were commonly found. General
ly, the mean number of Ae. albopictus per plant was also lower at site
s with Wyeomyia when compared to sites lacking these mosquitoes. Immat
ure Aedes bahamensis Berlin occurred much more frequently than immatur
e Aedes aegypti (L.) in samples from the bromeliads at a site near Hom
estead, FL. Here, Wyeomyia mosquitoes were collected from about 75 per
cent of the plants and the frequency of plants with Ae. bahamensis was
only slightly lower, at about 55 percent. Both Ae. albopictus and Ae.
bahamensis show a much greater propensity for inhabiting aquatic syst
ems associated with tank bromeliads in Florida than does Ae. aegypti.
Yet, even for Ae. albopictus and Ae. bahamensis, these phytotelm habit
ats appear to he secondary compared to those provided by artificial co
ntainers.