Experimental releases of female
Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti
and
Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus
were performed in August and September 1999, in an urban area of Nova Iguaçu, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to estimate their flight range in a circular
area of 1,600 m where 1,472 ovitraps were set. Releases of 3,055
Ae.
aegypti
and 2,225
Ae.
albopictus
females, fed with rubidium (Rb)-marked blood and surgically prevented from
subsequent blood-feeding, were separated by 11 days. Rb was detected in ovitrap-collected
eggs by atomic emission spectrophotometry. Rb-marked eggs of both species were
detected up to 800 m from the release point. Eggs of
Ae. albopictus
were more numerous and more heterogeneously distributed in the area than those
of
Ae. aegypti
. Eggs positively marked for Rb were found at all borders of the study area,
suggesting that egg laying also occurred beyond these limits. Results from
this study suggest that females can fly at least 800 m in 6 days and, if infected,
potentially spread virus rapidly.
