Biological control of mosquito larvae using aquatic insect, Diplonychus sp
Keywords:
Diplonychus species, dipteran larvae, biological control, aquatic insectsAbstract
For dipteran larvae, water bugs are voracious feeders. The predatory activities of such aquatic insects, as well as those of their vertebrate and invertebrate predators, may have a strong influence on the evolution of aquatic insect communities. Predator – prey relations also impact on reproduction, feeding, abiotic adaptation and defense, which are the four basic survival and sustainability requirements of animals. Diplonychus rusticus is an insect native to the India, Australia, and Philippines, commonly known as "water bug." It lives in shallow waters and feeds on aquatic insects, including mosquito larvae. Water bugs could be an effective biological control agent for dengue-carrying mosquitoes in a study conducted by Dr. Pio Javier of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños Laguna, Philippines. He found that water bug can consume 86-99 full-grown mosquito larvae per day, is tolerable for chlorinated water, and can reproduce easily. As a result, water bugs can be distributed to all mosquito habitats, such as used tires, water containers and other mosquito breeding sites.
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