FACTORS AFFECTING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF AEDES-ALBOPICTUS SKUSE (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) LARVAE TO SMITTIUM-MORBOSUM SWEENEY (TRICHOMYCETES, HARPELLALES)

Effects of rearing temperatures and development stages of Aedes albopi ctus Skuse on susceptiblity to Smittium morbosum Sweeney were investig ated in laboratory conditions. Mosquito larvae were perorally inoculat ed with S. morbosum trichospore suspension at 15-degrees-C, 20-degrees -C and 25-degrees-C. Rearing temperature was critical for this fungal infection of mosquito larvae: less than 10% of the 1st-instar larvae d ied at 25-degrees-C, whereas almost all larvae died at 15-degrees-C an d 20-degrees-C when a 10(5) trichospore suspension was administered. T he LT50 value for larvae reared at 20-degrees-C was shorter than that for larvae reared at 15-degrees-C. The 1st-instar larvae were highly s usceptible, whereas the 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th-instar larvae demonstrated little susceptibility.