Anopheles gambiae is one of the most important vectors of human malaria. In this study, single gravid females were placed in a 20 X 2.5 X 11.5 micro-arena that had a slant of soil and a pool of water available. The females were observed until five minutes after an ovipositional bout was completed or up to one hour. There was many ways in which the females were seen to oviposit. Females were observed laying eggs while sitting on the soil, sitting on the water, on the wall above the soil or water, and even while walking or flying. The females moved their abdomens and/or legs to assist the eggs in falling every few seconds. Once the bout was completed, females flew to a new location in the cage and landed. A comparison will be made of oviposition behavior between An. gambiae and An. funestus.
Species 1: Diptera Culicidae Anopheles gambiae (Malaria mosquito)
Keywords: malaria, behavior
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Section D. Medical and Veterinary Entomology
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Section D. Medical and Veterinary Entomology
Back to The 2002 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition