Manuscript title: Studies on the fitness components and comparative oviposition preferences of Aedes albopictus in various larval microhabitats of Burdwan, West Bengal

Authors: Arunima Chakraborty, Soumendranath Chatterjee

The objective of the study was to record the fitness parameters like gonotrophic cycle, fecundity, hatchability of Aedes albopictus mosquito. Blood was fed and the gonotrophic cycle, fecundity rate, hatchability rate and survival rate was calculated. On performing one way ANOVA it was seen that seasonal variation had a highly significant effect on fecundity (P <0.05), no significant effect on survival rate (P=0.189), and a significant effect on percent hatchability (P<0.05). Oviposition activity index (OAI) was calculated from both natural and artificial breeding habitat water. Positive oviposition activity index was recorded for coconut shell water (0.40) and tyre water (0.14) while OAI was found negative for earthen pots and tree hole breeding water. No household product showed positive OAI, indicating them as repellent and no oviposition was found in red chilli and ginger solution. Aedes larvae rearing water was found to be positive for OAI (0.12), indicating it to be more attractant than control water amongst the artificial breeding habitat provided.

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