Effects of temperature and larval diet on development rates and survival of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in north Queensland, Australia

Immature development times, survival rates and adult size (wing‐lengths) of the mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) were studied in the laboratory at temperatures of 10–40°C. The duration of development from egg eclosion (hatching of the first instar) to adult was inversely related to temperature, ranging from 7.2 ± 0.2 days at 35°C to 39.7 ± 2.3 days at 15°C. The minimum temperature threshold for development (t) was determined as 8.3 ± 3.6°C and the thermal constant (K) was 181.2 ± 36.1 day‐degrees above the threshold. Maximum survival rates of 88–93% were obtained between 20 and 30°C. Wing‐length was inversely related to temperature. The sex ratio (♀:♂) was 1 : 1 at all temperatures tested (15, 20, 25 and 35°C) except 30°C (4 : 3).

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