Influence of microclimate, food, and predation on Anopheles quadrimaculatus (Diptera : Culicidae) growth and development rates, survivorship, and adult size in a Michigan pond

Recently, the need for ecological management of mosquitoes has sparked a ne w interest in their larval ecology as an important component in malaria con trol programs. Three factors affecting larval growth and development rates, survivorship and adult size were tested with a natural population of Anoph eles quadrimaculatus (Say) in a Michigan pond. Second-instar An. quadrimacu latus (n = 40) were collected from a field population and maintained in flo ating microcosms. Before larval introductions, microcosms were placed in 2 pond habitats (open water zones and vegetated areas). Experimental treatmen ts in this study included algal clump, algal clump/predator, and predator o nly. Control treatment microcosms contained An. quadrimaculatus larvae only . The minimum temperature at the water surface was significantly greater in the open water habitat. Laboratory experiments show that food quality and temperature had a significant effect on larval survivorship. Developmental rates, survivorship, and adult size were higher in the algal clump treatmen t. The results of this study indicate that factors like surface water micro climates and enhanced food resources can be used to predict An. quadrimacul atus larval distribution and success.