The present study indicates that from habitat size expressed as area, and the particular environment in
which they are found, we can roughly predict the species
of mosquito immatures that occur and how they
encounter aquatic predators. In relation to habitat size,
the 6 major mosquitoes in the present study can be
divided into 3 groups.
The first group consists of Ae. (Stegomyia) spp.
and T. bambusa which occurred mostly in small
containers. Ae. japonicus and Cx. kyotoensis can be
placed in the second group. They occurred frequently
in larger containers compared to the first group, but
rarely occurred in containers of more than 1 m2
, and
never occurred in rice fields. The third group includes
An. sinensis and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, which occurred
in rice fields in summer and colonized large containers
after water was drained from rice fields.
Occurrence patterns in relation to container size
can be determined by (1) habitat preference by adult
females and (2) mortality of ovipositing females or their
immature offspring. Mortality causes, either abiotic or
biotic such as predation and competition, are
probabilistic processes that depend on the condition
of each container. For example, in containers where no
predators had colonized, by chance, predation cannot
be a factor determining mosquito fauna. Therefore it is
unlikely that mortality alone limits range in habitat size
very clearly.