Investigation of the intraspecific larval crowding effects in the mosquito species Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae)

In this study, mosquitoes species, Culex pipiens pipiens belonging to our unit which is commonly seen as natural population in the experimental area were used. The rearing of the colony and matinteance was conducted in arthropod research units located in a wooded area, within the greenhouse and agricultural research areas within our university campus. The domestic chicken (Gallaus gallus domesticus) was used to feed the adult mosquitoes of the colony. With this thesis study, intraspesific crowding effect of larval Cx. pipiens was investigated from various aspects, and the degree of intensity leading to this effect, possible causes of the effect and possible consequences were investigated in detail. In the formation of the experimental groups, the first stage larvae from the egg batches collected from the special breeding containers were used. Trials were performed in transparent glass cup-shaped containers with a diameter of 8 cm, bottom diameter of 6 cm and height of 8 cm; each was filled with 150 ml water at 4 cm depth. A total of 9 groups were formed in each group, with 6 replicates. The number of larvae in the containers of the groups was set to 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256, respectively. Each group was placed in 55 x 70 cm, h:75 cm cages and the following developmental process was followed. As a result, 837 (27,21%) individuals from 3076 larvae, 338 (40,4%) females and 498 males (59,6%) in total, reached adolescence. It was clearly observed that larval crowding of the species adversely affected the development, prolonged the developmental process, resulted in extensive larval deaths and decreased wing length in adults. Keywords: Culex pipiens, larva, container, crowdying effect