Oviposition by Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in relation to conspecific larvae infected with internal symbiotes.

Female mosquitoes use abiotic and biotic factors, such as the presence of heavy metals or parasites, to determine the acceptability of oviposition sites. Some biotic factors can originate from mosquito larvae. When mosquito larvae are starved or infected with trematode metacercaria, they render associated water unacceptable to ovipositioning females. Internal symbiotes are common in wild mosquito populations, and I tested whether or not larvae of Aedes aegypti infected with a gregarine (Ascogregarina taiwanensis), a yeast (Candida near pseudoglaebosa), or a trichomycete (Smittium morbosum) rendered their rearing water unacceptable to oviposting mosquitoes. Infections with S. morbosum had no effect on the acceptability of the associated rearing water when compared to rearing water from uninfected larvae. However, the rearing water from larvae infected with A. taiwanensis or C. near pseudoglaebosa was more acceptable to ovipositing females than was distilled water or rearing water from uninfected larvae. Ovipositing female mosquitoes either preferred or were neutral to rearing water from larvae with gut symbiotes.