Diel patterns of pupation, emergence, and oviposition in a laboratory population of Aedes albopictus.

There was no apparent daily pattern of pupation in Aedes albopictus in the laboratory [14:10 h (L:D); lights on: 0600 h, lights off: 2000 h], but diel patterns of emergence and oviposition were influenced by mosquito body size. Emergence rate was highest in large-bodied male mosquitoes at 1600 h and in small males at 1000 h but was lowest in large and small males, respectively, at 2400 h and 0200 h. Peak emergence of females was at 1600 h, regardless of body size; lowest emergence was at 0400 h. Half of all ovipositions by large females in their first gonotrophic cycle (GC1) were at 2000 and 2200 h but at 1800 to 2000 h in the second gonotrophic cycle (GC2). In small females, oviposition in GC1 and GC2 was highest at 1800 and 1600 h, respectively, and lowest at 0400 h. Half of all ovipositions in small females were at 1600 to 1800 h.