Biodiversity of the microbial flora associated with two strains of Culexpipiens (Diptera: Culicidae)

Bacterial Flora from external surface and alimentary canal of wild and laboratory strains of Culex pipiens were isolated and investigated using quantitative bacterial cultures. Individual colonies were subcultured and identified to species level. Counts from alimentary canal differ significantly from those of the external surface. An increase in bacterial density was detected after feeding on mammalian and avian blood meal. Bacterial identification revealed a complex bacterial flora. In addition to members of family Enterobacteriaceae species of Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Acinetobacter are the most common in both strains investigated. Gram negative bacteria were increased significantly after feeding on blood meals than those detecting during the feeding on sugar after emergence of the adult female mosquitoes and vise versa with Gram positive bacteria. Bacterial isolates were tested for resistance to the most common commercial antibiotics.