Adult damselflies as possible regulators of mosquito populations in urban areas.
Pest Manag Sci
; 77(10): 4274-4287, 2021 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34086403
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Dragonfly and damselfly larvae have been considered as possible biocontrol agents against young instars of mosquito vectors in urban environments. Yet our knowledge about adult odonate predation against mosquito adults is scarce. We quantified daily and annual predation rates, consumption rates and prey preferences of adult Hetaerina vulnerata male damselflies in an urban park. A focus on predation of mosquito species was provided, quantified their arbovirus (dengue, chikungunya and Zika) infection rates and biting activity.RESULTS:
Foraging times of H. vulnerata overlapped with those of the maximum activity of hematophagous mosquitoes. The most consumed preys were Diptera and Hymenoptera and, in lower quantities, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Psocoptera and Neuroptera. Of note, 7% of the diet was represented by hematophagous dipterans, with 2.4% being Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Prey abundance in the diet coincided with that of the same species in the environment. The arboviral infection rate (dengue, chikungunya and Zika) was 1.6% for A. aegypti and A. albopictus. The total biting rate of these mosquito vectors was 16 bites per person per day, while the annual rate of infectious bites was 93.4.CONCLUSION:
Although 2.4% for both Aedes species seems a low consumption, considering the presence of 12 odonate species at the park, it can be argued that adult odonates may play a relevant role as mosquito vector regulators, therefore impacting the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Our study outlines the need for further research on the topic of the possible role of adult odonates for mosquito biocontrol. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
2_ODS3
/
3_ND
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecções por Arbovirus
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Aedes
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Dengue
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Odonatos
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Febre de Chikungunya
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Zika virus
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Infecção por Zika virus
Limite:
Animals
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Pest Manag Sci
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article