No abstract

Oils and other surface films used against mosquito larvae may act by flooding the tracheal system with oil, by disrupting the surface forces that allow larvae to rest at the surface, by toxicity, or by eliciting chemosensory responses. In an attempt to identify diagnostic symptoms of these modes of action we treated fourth‐stage larvae of Culex pipiens L. form molestus Forskål (Diptera: Culicidae: Culicinae) with agents operating in a single mode (Ondina oil for flooding with oil, nicotine for toxicity, and the detergent Triton X‐100 for disruption of surface forces), in two modes (silicone oil) or in three (eucalyptus oil, citronellal, or caproic acid ethyl ester). We monitored the time course of flooding and immobilisation, used experiments to separate volatile toxicity from toxicity of the aqueous solution, and used video and The Observer software to analyse larval behaviour. Larvae that experienced tracheal flooding applied their mouthparts to the siphon (tail nibbling), often losing contact with the surface while doing so and falling to the bottom. Nicotine immobilised larvae without interfering with surface forces, and the larvae remained immobile hanging from the air‐water interface for long periods. In detergent, larvae made repeated unsuccessful attempts to thrust the siphon through the surface. The behaviour‐modifying chemicals caproic acid ethyl ester, eucalyptus oil and citronellal all operated in more than one mode. They all decreased the proportion of time larvae spent at the surface, whereas Ondina oil and silicone fluid increased it. Using this approach it should be possible to identify the modes of action of novel larvicidal agents. This could form a basis for rational design of larvicides giving an optimal compromise between efficacy against mosquito larvae and minimal damage to non‐target organisms.

Using laboratory bioassays with fourth‐instar Culex pipiens form molestus larvae, we explored the larvicidal properties of two representative plant‐derived oils, eucalyptus oil and turpentine (two grades), and cineole, the main component of eucalyptus oil. Each was larvicidal alone, but efficacy was enhanced when the spreading pressure was increased by adding 1% insoluble surfactant (Arosurf MSF) plus 1% detergent. Cheap turpentine was more effective than more refined turpentine. These mixtures were compared with the familiar surface‐active larvicides Arosurf and Golden Bear Oil. At a dose of 2 μl per tub (=0.13 μl cm−2), enhanced by surfactants (turpentine:Arosurf:detergent 100:1:1 by volume), refined turpentine acted faster than Arosurf alone, causing higher mortality at 24 and 48 h after treatment but equivalent mortality at 72 h. It immobilised more larvae than Golden Bear Oil in the first three hours, but was less effective over 24 h. Crude turpentine enhanced by surfactants immobilised about as many larvae as Golden Bear Oil over 24 h. These findings indicate that plant essential oils merit further attention as widely available, environmentally benign mosquito larvicides.

The British moth Eana incanana (Tortricidae) has been found to selectively metabolize the glycosidase inhibitor 2 R, 3 R, 4 R, 5 R-2,5-dihydroxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine (DMDP), whereas it excretes related alkaloids from Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Hyacinthaceae). Very few native animals feed on H. non-scripta, but the larvae of E. incanana are specialized herbivores feeding just on the buds and flowers destroying the ovary. DMDP is the major glucosidase inhibitor of H. non-scripta and the moth may overcome inhibition of digestive glucosidases by metabolizing the DMDP. The glucosidase enzymes of the caterpillar are inhibited by DMDP. The caterpillar excretes the other glycosidase inhibitors produced by this plant and the frass has increased concentrations of these alkaloids.