Bionomics of culex

Bionomics is a branch of biology concerned with the relations between

organisms and their environment. The study on mosquito bionomics greatly
assists in tracking their population dynamics. All mosquitoes need water for
breeding and thus complete their life cycle. Thus, the study on its bionomics
assists in tracking the source of a mosquito problem. Mosquitoes are ubiquitous,
conquering almost all water bodies for breeding, but their behavioral differences
exhibit specificity in occupying numerous ecological niches in choosing their
habitats. The knowledge on the bionomics of various species aids in surveillance
and planning further control strategies.
Mosquitoes of the genus Culex can breed in a variety of breeding places
ranging from highly polluted cesspits to clear water pools and containers. They
can not only inhabit semi-permanent or permanent bodies of ground water, but
also live exclusively in leaf axils, tree-holes, rock-holes, and crab-holes. Few
species for instance Cx. quinquefasciatus exclusively show high tolerance to
organically polluted water. Most of the species are categorized by their preference
for permanent water, floodwater, transient water or artificial container and tree-
hole habitats. While some species use more than one type of habitat. Accordingly
the larval habitats are categorized into standing water (permanent and transient)
and floodwater (including natural and artificial containers as well as floodwater)
habitats.
The standing water are permanent or transient pools and species
habituating these aquatic bodies lay eggs either singly or in rafts on the surface of
standing water, brood several times annually and also survive harsh
environmental circumstances. The permanent water group includes the freshwater
marshes where Culex species like Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. salinarius, Cx. tarsalis,
Cx. erraticus and Cx. Peccator were found, lakes with floating or emergent plants
host larvae of Cx. salinarius, Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. erraticus, Cx. Peccator, and in
ponds for example the grassy woodland ponds or fluctuating ponds and sinkhole
ponds contain larvae of Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. restuans, Cx.
salinarius, Cx. erraticus, Cx. peccator, Cx. pilosus, Cx. territans. Culex mosquito
group constituting Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. tarsalis, Cx. restuans and Cx.
nigripa1pus are found in transient water group. These water groups are the salt or
brackish water ditches, borrow pits and canals are evaded by Cx. nigripa1pus, Cx.
quinquefasciatus, Cx. restuans, Cx. salinarius and freshwater drainage ditches
with Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. pilosus, Cx. erraticus, Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae
along with larvae of other mosquito groups.
Very few species occupy the flood water group. Cx. atratus, Cx. pilosus are found
in rain and flood water pools and Cx. nigripalpus breed in both the former and
the mangrove swamps. The artificial environment breeding mosquito groups
involve only few species like Cx. quinquefasciatus which can breed in tree holes,
Cx. stigmatosoma, Cx epidesmus and Cx. tarsalis in tree canopy, Cx. opisthopus
in crab holes and Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. restuans, Cx. salinarius, Cx.
nigripalpus in artificial containers. Cx. territans is the species that is found
habitating the streams although it is found in other waters also. Thus, a wide
variety of Culex species found occupying multiple habitats, illustrates the
complexity of the problem faced by control agencies.