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The Growth Stimulating Effect of APF, Terramycin Hydrochloride, Vitamin B₁₂ and an Undetermined Factor "X" upon Aedes Aegypti (L)(Diptera, Culicidae)

An experiment to determine the possible growth stimulating effects of APF, terramycin hydrochloride and vitamin B₁₂ upon Aedes aegypti was conducted. It was found that the accepted temperature of 27°C. for rearing these mosquitoes is superior to 37° since the mortality at the latter temperature was too great and the length of time required to attain the adult stage was not reduced.

The average larval size obtained per pan of 100 larvae with daily feedings of the S (Superior) diet, composed of 175 mg. of equal parts by weight of ground mouse food, and APF, 2.5 mg. of terramycin hydrochloride, 1.5 ugr. of vitamin B₁₂, was about 4 per cent larger than the largest reported in nature and those fed the well balanced control diet of 175 mg. ground mouse food daily.

A size variation of statistical significance occurred between larvae in different test runs utilizing the same diet. This indicated that there was some unknown and uncontrolled factor, factor "X", which was as influential in determining size as the controlled factors of diet, temperature, pH, and water surface ration. When this functioned in favor of maximum growth, it produced an almost 10 per cent increase in size over the average size of the controls.

Mosquitoes fed the S diet averaged a fraction of a day longer in the larval stage than did those on the control diet (4.7 against 4.5 days) but both reached the adult stage in less than 7 days.

It is, therefore, possible to rear A. aegypti in the laboratory which are significantly larger statistically than those in nature and those fed a well balanced control diet; however, the average maximum size as controlled by the genetics of the species has not as yet been attained. This might be approached by the determination and favorable utilization of factor "X". Other antibiotics and substances such as DNA substituted for vitamin B₁₂ might also bring about an average size increase superior to that reported here.