14. The Effect of Leaf Species on Insect Oviposition Preference and Colonization

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Some insects are known to be common vectors of disease, which is an important public health issue. As such, diverse studies on the ecology of vectors are needed for effective management. Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) is the 2nd most important vector of human diseases, and is a common carrier for dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis viruses. It is commonly found in most areas of the central and eastern U.S., can have oviposition sites that occur close to human settlements (e.g., buckets, tires), and is an invasive species in the U.S. Our study aims to examine the influence of vegetation in deterring insect oviposition in a neighborhood landscaping environment, which is a breeding ground for this insect when standing water is present. This experiment used 18 buckets filled with water in a suburban neighborhood in Ruston, LA as available oviposition sites. Leaf treatments of loblolly pine, post oak, and southern magnolia were added to the buckets. Twice a week in May and June, we collected immature insects, which were preserved, counted and identified. Preliminary results using Poisson regression showed no significant differences in numbers of A. albopictus or other immature insects among leaf litter treatments, though this data set included a very limited time period during the experiment. Continued analyses will be conducted to provide more robust results.