No impact of biocontrol agent’s predation cues on development time or size of surviving Aedes albopictus under optimal nutritional availability

Cyclopoid copepods have been applied successfully to limit populations of
highly invasive Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that can transmit diseases of
public health importance. However, there is concern that changes in
certain mosquito traits, induced by exposure to copepod predation, might
increase the risk of disease transmission. In this study, third instar Ae.
albopictus larvae, hereafter referred to as “focal individuals”, were
exposed to Megacyclops viridis predator cues associated with both
consumption of newly-hatched mosquito larvae and attacks on focal
individuals. The number of newly-hatched larvae surrounding each focal
larva was held constant to control for density effects on size, and the
focal individual’s day of pupation and wing length were recorded for each
replicate. Exposing late instar Ae. albopictus to predation decreased
their chances of surviving to adulthood, and three focal larvae that died
in the predator treatment showed signs of melanization, indicative of
wounding. Among surviving focal Ae. albopictus, no significant difference
in either pupation day or wing length was observed due to copepod
predation. The absence of a significant sublethal impact from M. viridis
copepod predation on surviving later-stage larvae in this analysis
supports the use of M. viridis as a biocontrol agent against Ae.
albopictus.