Oviposition habitat choices of species with aquatic larvae is expected to
be influenced by both offspring risk of mortality due to predation, and
offspring growth potential. Aquatic predators may indirectly influence growth
potential for prey by reducing prey density and, for filter feeding prey, by
increasing bacterial food for prey via added organic matter (feces, partially
eaten victims), creating the potential for interactive effects on oviposition
choices. We tested the hypothesis that the mosquito Aedes
aegypti preferentially oviposit in habitats with predatory
Toxorhynchites larvae because of indirect effects of
predation on chemical cues indicating bacterial abundance. We predicted that
A. aegypti would avoid oviposition in sites with
Toxorhynchites, but prefer to oviposit where bacterial food
for larvae is abundant, and that predation by Toxorhynchites
would increase bacterial abundances. Gravid A. aegypti were
offered paired oviposition sites representing choices among: predator presence;
the act of predation; conspecific density; dead conspecific larvae; and
bacterial activity. Aedes aegypti preferentially oviposited in
sites with T. theobaldi predation, and with killed conspecific
larvae, but failed to detect preferences for other treatments. The antibiotic
Tetracycline eliminated the strongest oviposition preference. Both predation by
Toxorhynchites and killed larvae increased bacterial
abundances, suggesting that oviposition attraction is cued by bacteria. Our
results show the potential for indirect effects, like trophic cascades, to
influence oviposition choices and community composition in aquatic systems. Our
results suggest that predators like Toxorhynchites may be
doubly beneficial as biocontrol agents because of the attraction of ovipositing
mosquitoes to bacterial by-products of Toxorhynchites
feeding.