Effects of Ascogregarina barretti (Eugregarinida: Lecudinidae) Infection on Emergence Success, Development Time, and Size of Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Microcosms and Tires

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Abstract
Biological control and population regulation potential of Ascogregarina barretti (Vavra), a parasite of Aedes triseriatus (Say), was assessed using simulated tree holes in a laboratory experiment and discarded tires in a field experiment. In the laboratory experiment, emergence, development time, and size of male A. triseriatus were not affected by A. barretti infection when food was limited. However, severely infected female mosquitoes had prolonged development time and were smaller compared with noninfected females when larvae had to compete for food. In the field experiment, A. barretti infection did not affect emergence success, development time, or size of A. triseriatus males or females. We conclude that A. barretti has no potential as a control agent for A. triseriatus, but it may have a role in population regulation mediated through a lowering of female fecundity.