Quantitative Bionomics of Culex Nigripalpus (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations In Florida: 1. Phosphorus-32 marking techniques1

Abstract

Marking larval and adult mosquitoes with phorus-32 was studied preliminary to an investigation of quantitative bionomics to be based upon mark-release-recapture experiments. A technique for uniformly marking synchronized broods of Culex nigripalpus for release in the field is described in which 8-h-old 4th-instar larvae are fed Fleischmann's active dry yeast incubated with phosphorus-32 solution for 18–24 h. The adults exhibit minimal variability in effects of radiation and no apparent deleterious effects; they have a good survival potential (32–46 days for males and 57–75 days for females on 10% sucrose) and lay normal eggs which hatch normally. When marked as adults, females transfer proportionally more radioactivity to developing ovaries and eggs than they do when marked as larvae. It is concluded that larval marking is the method of choice for the contemplated release and recapture experiments.