THE EFFECT OF DOMESTIC DETERGENTS ON THE POPULATION-DYNAMICS OF THE IMMATURE STAGES OF 2 COMPETITOR MOSQUITOS, CULEX-CINEREUS THEOBALD AND CULEX-QUINQUEFASCIATUS SAY (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) IN KENYA

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  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (1) , 69-75
Abstract
In some rural areas of Kenya pit latrines are the most important breeding places of C. quinquefasciatus, but this vector is often rapidly displaced by a competitor, C. cinereus, which then breeds prolifically in the latrines. In urban settlements, cesspools are the main breeding sites of C. quinquefasciatus and no such species replacement occurs. These latter habitats contain water contaminated with domestic detergents. When detergents were introduced into a pit latrine colonized only by C. cinereus this mosquito was eliminated after about 3 wk. When both species were reared in water containing detergents C. cinereus had lower pupal yields than C. quinquefasciatus. In 2 pit latrines where C. cinereus normally displaced C. quinquefasciatus, the addition of detergent prevented this, and after their coexistence for a few weeks, C. cinereus eventually disappeared. During the last few decades domestic detergents, together with other pollutants such as insecticides, may have contributed to the elimination of competitors, such as C. cinereus, from C. quinquefasciatus breeding sites.