Oviposition preference of Aedes aegypti (L) in artificial containers in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Assessments of Aedes aegypti (L.) oviposition preference for two different substrates (i. e., red velour paper strips and fiberboard paddles) in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were made during 9-30 May 1995. A total of 80 ovitraps, each containing a paper strip and a fiberboard paddle, were placed outside huma n houses in shaded and sunny study sites. A total of 68 traps were recovere d, 75% (51/68) of which were positive for Ae. aegypti eggs (39.7% [27/68] a nd 35.3% [24/68] exposed to sun and shade, respectively). The total numbers of eggs recovered was 2,373 (48%) from traps in sunny sites and 2,524 (52% ) from those in shaded sites. Significant differences (p greater than or eq ual to 0.05) in oviposition preference were observed between the two substr ates used in this study, with more eggs deposited on velour paper strips (2 ,828) than fiberboard paddles (2,069). There also were significant differen ces between the numbers of eggs deposited on substrates in the shade and th ose deposited on substrates in open sunlight. However, there were no signif icant differences between traps placed in the sun as opposed to those place d in the shade.