Temperature overcomes the effects of resource availability on the life history of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, especially for females.

Abstract

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a major public health challenge, with Aedes aegypti being a primary vector in subtropical regions. Temperature and resource availability are key environmental factors influencing mosquito development, survival, and fitness. However, the relative contributions of these factors, particularly under climate change scenarios, remain unclear. Here, we show that temperature plays a more significant role than food availability in shaping A. aegypti life history traits, with differential effects on males and females. To investigate this, we reared A. aegypti larvae in controlled environments at 17°C and 27°C with two levels of food availability (0.02 or 0.04 g/L of Spirulina Alcon® fish food). In an intra-sex comparison, higher temperatures accelerated larvae survival rate and development, particularly in males, while females exhibited prolonged development in cooler conditions, leading to larger adult body sizes. Wing asymmetry was significant in females across treatments, likely due to food stress, but remained unchanged in males. Our findings highlight the complex interaction between temperature, resource availability, and sex-biased phenotypic plasticity in A. aegypti. Given the accelerating effects of global warming on mosquito populations, temperature-sensitive vector control strategies are crucial for mitigating the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.