Insect Ecology Laboratory
The lines of research developed in this laboratory focus on ecology of diptera, in particular of the mosquitoes of the temperate region of Argentina.
WHAT TASKS DO WE PERFORM?
We studied the effects of various environmental factors on the survival of Aedes aegypti during the winter, with the aim of evaluating the possible acquisition of adaptations of this species to withstand low temperatures. On the other hand, we evaluate phytotelmata, small aquatic environments formed by retained water in plants, such as breeding sites for Aedes aegypti and other mosquitoes of relevance with the aim of elucidating the importance of these environments in the proliferation of these organisms.
LINES OF RESEARCH
- Winter ecology of the <i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquitoe, the main vector of dengue, in the Province of Buenos Aires
- Mosquitoe ecology in phytotelmata of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region.
CAMPAIGN AND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES
Hatching eggs and larvae from the first stage of development of Aedes aegypti
Larva of the flood mosquito, Aedes albifasciatus, parasitized by the worm Strelkovimermis spiculatus. Aedes albifasciatus is the species responsible for mosquito invasions that usually occur once a year in different regions of the country, and the Strelkovimermis spiculatus parasite is its main enemy natural.
MEMBERS

Cristian Di Battista
Internal Postdoctoral Fellowship CONICET

Mariano Donato
Independent Researcher CONICET. ILPLA Entomology Lab.
of the family Chironomidae
(Insecta: Diptera) in Argentina.”
Publications
-RAÚL E. CAMPOS; CRISTIAN M. DI BATTISTA; MARÍA SOL DE MAJO; PEDRO MONTINI; SYLVIA FISCHER. Photoperiod affects female life history traits in temperate populations of Aedes aegypti from South America. BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY.Londres: WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC. 2022 vol. issn 0024-4066.
-DI BATTISTA, CRISTIAN; FISCHER, SYLVIA; CAMPOS, RAÚL E.. Behavior of Aedes albifasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae from eggs with different dormancy times and its relationship with parasitism by Strelkovimermis spiculatus (Nematoda: Mermithidae). PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH. Berlin: SPRINGER. 2021 vol. issn 0932-0113.
-MENSCH, JULIÁN; DI BATTISTA, CRISTIAN; DE MAJO, MARÍA SOL; CAMPOS, RAÚL E.; FISCHER, SYLVIA. Increased size and energy reserves in diapausing eggs of temperate Aedes aegypti populations. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY. Amsterdam: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. 2021 vol.131. issn 0022-1910.
-LOETTI, VERÓNICA; DE MAJO, MARÍA SOL; CAMPOS, RAÚL E.; DI BATTISTA, CRISTIAN M.; FISCHER, SYLVIA. Effect of parental photoperiod on body size and developmental time of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Buenos Aires City. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY.Lanham: ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER. 2021 vol.58 n°4. p1638 – 1642. issn 0022-2585.
-CAMPOS, RAÚL E.; ZANOTTI, GABRIELA; DI BATTISTA, CRISTIAN M.; GIMENEZ, JAVIER O.; FISCHER, SYLVIA. Differential inhibition of egg hatching in Aedes aegypti populations from localities with different winter conditions. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH.: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS. 2020. issn 0007-4853.
-RUSCONI, JOSÉ MATÍAS; DI BATTISTA, CRISTIAN M.; BALCAZAR, DARÍO; ROSALES, MATÍAS; ACHINELLY, MARÍA FERNANDA. Amphimermis enzoni n. sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitizing damselflies and dragonflies in Argentina. JOURNAL OF NEMATOLOGY. Byron: SOC NEMATOLOGISTS. 2020 vol.52. issn 0022-300X.
-DI BATTISTA, C. M.; FISCHER, S.; CAMPOS, R. E.. Susceptibility of the floodwater mosquito Aedes albifasciatus from eggs of different dormancy times to the nematode parasite Strelkovimermis spiculatus. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY.null: WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC. 2020. issn 0269-283X.
-FISCHER, SYLVIA; DE MAJO, MARÍA SOL; DI BATTISTA, CRISTIAN M.; MONTINI, PEDRO; LOETTI, VERÓNICA; CAMPOS, RAÚL E.. Adaptation to temperate climates: Evidence of photoperiod-induced embryonic dormancy in Aedes aegypti in South America. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY. Amsterdam: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. 2019. issn 0022-1910.
Projects / Services
El laboratorio Ecología de Insectos participa en actividades de extensión como las Jornadas de Divulgación Científica para Escuelas Secundarias del CONICET La Plata, charlas para diferentes instituciones educativas y actividades de divulgación como ferias de ciencias. Además, formó parte del desarrollo de Caza mosquitos, una aplicación para dispositivos móviles, con el objetivo de estudiar la distribución de los mosquitos urbanos y fomentar la participación del público (ciencia ciudadana).