Evaluation of Larvicidal Activity of Leaf Extract of Lantana camara (Family: Verbenaceae) Against the Aedes aegypti Mosquito

Aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Lantana camara were prepared and four different concentrations (0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 g/ l) of both extracts were tested for larvicidal activity against the fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti for 24 hours in the laboratory. The 24-h percentage mortality rates ranged from 91.66 to 96.66 % in larvae treated with 0.3 to 1.2 g/L ethanolic L. camara leaf extract, respectively. The 24-h lethal time (LT50) and lethal concentration (LC50) were 6.8 h and 0.48 g/l, respectively. The aqueous extract did not result in more than 35 % larval mortality. The 24-h percentage mortality between the treatment groups were significantly different (P < 0.001) and also when compared with the control (P < 0.05). The result showed that the ethanolic extract was more lethal than the aqueous extract to A. aegypti larvae. The ethanolic extract also limited the pupation and the adult emergence that was inhibited by the ethanolic extract at 0.9 and 1.2g/L extract.Keywords: Aedes aegypti, Lantana camara, Leaf extract, Larvicide, Pupation, Emergenc