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Finding/catching mosquito larvae.


zeebee

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I did a small experiment to test the assertion raised before. I took 2 buckets of the same size ( one white, one red ), and half filled both with tank water. I put a bunch of grass clippings in both, but the red one had half the amount as the white. I put some duckweed in the red one for the mozzies to land on. Both buckets are under my deck in the shade, and right next to each other.

Some weeks later, the one with more grass has water of a deeper colour. Both have larvae in them but the white one with no floating surface material has 7 egg rafts, and the one with the duck weed has none. ( I took some rafts from the white one and put them into the red one in case the presence of existing larvae might help. )

My provisional conclusion is that the major determinant of where the mozzies lay their eggs, is the water quality. The more organic material for the larvae to eat is where you will find the mozzies laying their eggs, which makes biological sense.

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I don't think I need to. The thesis posited was that you needed a place on the water surface to land for the mozzies to lay their egg rafts; bits of styrofoam was given as one example. My experiment, easily replicated by anyone with two buckets, shows this to not be a major determinant. As Alan implies, mozzies prefer water with material suitable for larvae to feed on. I have quite a few other buckets of tap water outside degassing with duck weed on top (it gets everywhere), and have never noticed any rafts which would also support this idea.

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I don't think I need to. The thesis posited was that you needed a place on the water surface to land for the mozzies to lay their egg rafts; bits of styrofoam was given as one example. My experiment, easily replicated by anyone with two buckets, shows this to not be a major determinant. As Alan implies, mozzies prefer water with material suitable for larvae to feed on. I have quite a few other buckets of tap water outside degassing with duck weed on top (it gets everywhere), and have never noticed any rafts which would also support this idea.

Your trail is not fair, you have too many variables, not just the variable in question (ie: floating material vs none) you also changed the amount of clippings, and different coloured buckets, also you have only subjected it to a single test. maybe you should repeat until you have some solid findings. :smln: also, duckweed may not produce egg-rafts, but you have not addressed the idea of Styrofoam or any other flotsam....

For someone so awfully scientific about things (read: every single damn thing anyone has to say about anything, ever!) seems an amateur mistake.

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I biased the experiment towards the water with rafts as I used a dark coloured bucket for that water, and mosquitos are attracted to dark colours. Styrofoam is not a naturally occurring substance at least where I live. I used what occurs in nature. Are you seriously saying that styrofoam rafts will attract mozzies over algae rich water?

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I biased the experiment

shock, horror...

towards the water with rafts as I used a dark coloured bucket for that water, and mosquitos are attracted to dark colours.

Says who? unverified statements will get you no-where.

Styrofoam is not a naturally occurring substance at least where I live.

Never said it was.

I used what occurs in nature.

So, red and white buckets are natural now? and you only did 1 trial with 1 type of flotsam.

Are you seriously saying that styrofoam rafts will attract mozzies over algae rich water?

Never said that, your projecting.

And it is not "algae rich" it is merely full of grass clippings. Your most likely creating infusoria more than algae. Like you said, it was in the shade ("under my deck in the shade"). Unless you have a breed super-algae that no longer needs photosynthesis, I doubt there will be statistically valuable numbers.

I said that it should be trialled, along with many other things. Styrofoam was an example brought up earlier in the thread, i was merely addressing it, seeing as you haven't.

I put it to you that your "experiment", by your own admittance, was biased, shallow (1 trail does not a conclusion make), lacking references, projected, devoid of scientific value and your conclusions are thus void.

Again, for someone so scientific about every little thing, you've had a blow-out here mate....

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Let us know when you've learned how to do some research on your own, understand some basic rules of english grammar, and have publications in peer reviewed scientific journals, and then perhaps we might attach some weight to your point of view.

I have all of the above... Marine Biologist... :thup:

and calling me on grammar is a low blow by a desperate man in search of something to attempt to bring me down, when you know your down and out.

Give it a rest...

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And it is not "algae rich" it is merely full of grass clippings. Your most likely creating infusoria more than algae. Like you said, it was in the shade ("under my deck in the shade"). Unless you have a breed super-algae that no longer needs photosynthesis, I doubt there will be statistically valuable numbers.

Have a look under your deck, or, if you don't have one, someone else's. See if you can spot any thing growing there that is photosynthesizing. Shaded does not mean pitch black but we do understand you have a problem with english.

I put it to you that your "experiment", by your own admittance, was biased, shallow (1 trail does not a conclusion make), lacking references, projected, devoid of scientific value and your conclusions are thus void.

Again, for someone so scientific about every little thing, you've had a blow-out here mate....

Yes, biased towards the thesis.

Shallow -yep, only a few cms of water.

1 trail - I suspect you mean trial. I roughly detailed my methods to allow anyone to repeat the experiment but I doubt anyone will for reasons so obvious. You clearly missed my statement which said "My provisional conclusion" indicating that I was waiting for someone else to replicate the experiment.

And your conclusion has an error in logic.

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Your most likely creating infusoria more than algae.

I think you mean "you are". But let's see what people might think infusoria is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infusoria

Infusoria is a collective term for minute aquatic creatures like ciliates, euglenoids, protozoa, and unicellular algae that exist in freshwater ponds.

If you wish to use the term in a sense other than that commonly associated with aquariums it behoves you to make that distinction.

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:facepalm:

oh noes, my england is not good enuf for the mighty and great one... :sml1: :sml1: :sml1:

and, just because unicellular algae is included among a list does not mean that my point is any less valid, algae still need sunlight last I checked. but I'm sure you can find some biased and un-founded paper for that, too.

You are (see, got it that time, pedantic fiend) fast becoming the main reason why I seriously can't be stuffed using this forum, more and more trolls and people that think they know more than those who have been at this game for YEARS! Jesus, I'm a freaking marine biologist and I don't parade around like a prize git trying to out-research everything everyone has to say! There are many people here that know a hell of a lot more about fish keeping than I, and I can respect that.

But for someone such as yourself to come in here with very little actual information or personal experience and ruffle everyone's feathers... bollox...

Squirt is right.

I, sir, bid your fanciful and deluded sense of grandeur goodbye.

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