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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #369681
Research Project: Integrated Pest Management of Mosquitoes and Biting Flies

Location: Mosquito and Fly Research

Title: Sub-lethal effects of irradiation on the blood feeding of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Author
item CUNNINGHAM, COURTNEY - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item Aldridge, Robert
item KLINE, JEDIDIAH - Orise Fellow
item BIBBS, CHRISTOPHER - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken
item XUE, RUI-DE - Anastasia Mosquito Control District

Submitted to: Journal of Vector Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/2/2020
Publication Date: 6/3/2020
Citation: Cunningham, C.A., Aldridge, R.L., Kline, J., Bibbs, C.S., Linthicum, K., Xue, R. 2020. Sub-lethal effects of irradiation on the blood feeding of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Vector Ecology. 45(1):140-141. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvec.12382.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvec.12382

Interpretive Summary: Inadvertent release of female mosquitoes during operational sterile male releases in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) mosquito control programs is an inherent risk. However, it was observed that female mosquitoes exposed to radiation were less likely to take blood meal. This curious change in behavior was further investigated in the laboratory to measure the impact of radiation exposure on the potential for female mosquitoes to blood feed. We found that about 10% of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes blood fed on an artificial membrane after exposure to doses of radiation potentially used in SIT mosquito control programs.

Technical Abstract: Inadvertent release of female mosquitoes during operational sterile male releases in Sterile Insect Technique mosquito control programs is an inherent risk. To assess the impact of irradiation on the ability of female mosquitoes to take a blood meal we exposed female Aedes aegypti Linn. to different radiation doses. Irradiated females were offered a blood meal in an artificial membrane and the percentages of partial and full blood engorgement documented. Increasing irradiation doses decreased full blood engorgement, compared with non-irradiated controls. At a radiation dose at 50gy, which effectively sterilized males, about 10% of female Ae. aegypti successfully blood fed.