Caffeine and used coffee grounds completely blocked the development of Aedes aegypti in the early stages, in treatments with the concentrations 1.0 mg/mL and 50 mg/mL, respectively. More advanced stages and even adults were obtained in lower concentrations of both substances, enabling observations to be made of mortality rate, longevity and esterase patterns. The experiments involved treatments using either eggs or 3rd instar larvae (L3), with or without the addition of fish food. Mortality rates prior to the adult stage and adult longevity were significantly different in the comparisons among treatments, in every kind of experiment, but in those using L3 larvae, their percentages were smaller. Observations of the time of larva and adult onset suggested... |