Chester Lamar Meek (1944–2000), 2009 AMCA Memorial Lecture Honoree, was husband to Sharon Kay Meek, father of Bradley Lamar and Jody Keith, and a member of the faculty of Louisiana State University for 25 years when he passed away on June 27, 2000, while conducting field research on mosquitoes in Cleveland, Mississippi. Dr. Meek was born in Monticello, Arkansas, and attended Ouachita Baptist University, University of Arkansas, and Texas A&M University, where he took his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D., respectively. He was an expert in the biology and control of rice-field mosquitoes and in forensic entomology. He served in the medical service corps of the US Army, authored or co-authored over 65 scientific publications, and was mentor to graduate students in medical and forensic entomology. Dr. Meek was a member of the Louisiana Mosquito Control Association, the Texas Mosquito Control Association, the American Mosquito Control Association, the Entomological Society of America, the American Registry of Professional Entomologists, and the Society for Vector Ecology. He received the American Mosquito Control Association's awards for Meritorious Service (1986) and the Memorial Lectureship Award (1991) and was recognized for his service by the Louisiana Mosquito Control Association with the 1989 Hathaway-Ritter Distinguished Achievement award.

Twenty-nine mosquito species belonging to 4 genera are reported for Glacier National Park, Montana. These include 22 originally reported by H.G. Dyar and 7 additional records, one of which, Ochlerotatus euedes ( = Aedes eueedes) is a new state record for Montana.

The pupa of Ochlerotatus pulchriventer ( = Aedes pulchriventer) is described and illustrated for the first time. It was collected at midrange altitudes in the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal. A subspecies from Taiwan is discussed.

Infestations of Aedes albopictus were first identified in the Cayman Islands on June 19, 1997. Control techniques that had previously been effective in the elimination of Ae. aegypti from these islands were employed with the aim of eliminating this species. Chemical control methods against adult mosquitoes used a combination of ultra-low–volume applications of fenthion, backpack spraying with permethrin, and residual wall treatments with lambda–cyhalothrin. Larval stages were also targeted with the use of granular formulations of temephos and methoprene applied to all containers capable of sustaining larval development. For a 2-year period after the discovery of the introduction the abundance of this mosquito remained low (Breteau index  =  0.6); however, in 1999 Ae. albopictus became firmly established (Breteau index  =  5.5). By the end of 2001 it was apparent that the control methods utilized had failed to stop the spread of this species. This work describes the control methods utilized and discusses possible reasons for the failure of the elimination campaign.

In October 2002 Aedes aegypti was detected on Grand Cayman after an absence of 5 years. This study outlines the techniques used by the Mosquito Research & Control Unit of the Cayman Islands to monitor the reintroduction of Ae. aegypti and to determine the extent of the new infestation. Suggestions are made for improvements of port disinsection activities to minimize further introductions.

A rapid assessment was conducted in July–August 2007 to determine the impact of heavy rains and early summer floods on the mosquitoes and arbovirus activity in 4 southeastern Kansas counties. During 10 days and nights of collections using different types and styles of mosquito traps, a total of 10,512 adult female mosquitoes representing 29 species were collected, including a new species record for Kansas (Psorophora mathesoni). High numbers of Aedes albopictus were collected. Over 4,000 specimens of 4 Culex species in 235 species-specific pools were tested for the presence of West Nile, St. Louis, and western equine encephalitis viruses. Thirty pools representing 3 Culex species were positive for West Nile virus (WNV). No other arboviruses were detected in the samples. Infection rates of WNV in Culex pipiens complex in 2 counties (10.7/1,000 to 22.6/1,000) and in Culex salinarius in 1 county (6.0/1,000) were sufficiently high to increase the risk of transmission to humans. The infection rate of WNV in Culex erraticus was 1.9/1,000 in one county. Two focal hot spots of intense WNV transmission were identified in Montgomery and Wilson counties, where infection rates in Cx. pipiens complex were 26/1,000 and 19.9/1,000, respectively. Despite confirmed evidence of WNV activity in the area, there was no increase in human cases of arboviral disease documented in the 4 counties for the remainder of 2007.

To determine the presence of arboviruses in mosquito populations from major urban areas of eastern Australia, a total of 67,825 mosquitoes, representing ∼60 species, was collected and tested from Cairns, Brisbane, and Sydney between January 2005 and April 2008. Mosquito pools were screened by inoculation onto mosquito cell cultures and the detection of viral antigen using a panel of flavivirus and alphavirus monoclonal antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Suspect positive samples were confirmed using virus-specific real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction assays. No flaviviruses were detected, but 2 alphaviruses were isolated from mosquito pools collected from Cairns, with 1 Barmah Forest virus isolate from a pool of 100 Aedes vigilax and 1 Ross River virus isolate from a pool of 83 Verrallina carmenti. In addition, a single Aedes alternans collected from Sydney yielded an isolate most similar to Stretch Lagoon virus, a newly described virus from the genus Orbivirus. These results suggest that during the study, arboviruses were circulating at a low level in the areas sampled. The findings from this study will promote public health awareness of the risk of arboviruses in urban areas, leading to more informative public health campaigns to safeguard the Australian public.

The seasonal prevalence and spatial distribution of mosquitoes were examined as part of an avian malaria study on the oceanic island of Minami-Daito Island, Japan. Because dry ice was not available in this study, yeast-generated CO₂ was used to attract biting mosquitoes. Adult mosquitoes were collected biweekly using battery-operated traps enhanced with yeast-generated CO₂ and a gravid trap from March 2006 to February 2007. The CO₂-baited traps were distributed in 4 different habitats: sugar cane field, forest and vegetation ring, residential area, and swamp area. At 3 collection sites beside sugar cane fields, traps were fixed at 2 different heights (3 and 6 m above the ground). A total of 1,437 mosquitoes of the following 9 species were collected: Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes albopictus, Coquillettidia sp., Mansonia uniformis, Culex rubithoracis, Armigeres subalbatus, Lutzia fuscanus, Aedes daitensis, and Aedes togoi. Among them, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Ae. albopictus, and Coquillettidia sp. were dominant. The high density and wide distribution of Cx. quinquefasciatus throughout the island suggested the importance of this species as a principal vector of avian malaria on the island.

The response of adult mosquitoes to 4 light-emitting diode (LED) wavelengths was evaluated using diode-equipped sticky cards (DESCs) and diode-equipped resting boxes at 2 sites in north central Florida. Wavelengths evaluated were blue (470 nm), green (502 nm), red (660 nm), and infrared (IR) (860 nm). When trapping with DESCs, 15 mosquito species from 7 genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, Psorophora, and Uranotaenia) were captured. Overall, approximately 43.8% of all mosquitoes were trapped on DESCs fitted with green LEDs. Significantly more females of Aedes infirmatus, Aedes vexans, and Culex nigripalpus were captured on DESCs fitted with blue LEDs compared with red or IR LEDs. DESCs with blue LEDs captured significantly more Culex erraticus females than those with IR LEDs. Using resting boxes, 12 species from 5 genera (Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, and Uranotaenia) were collected. Resting boxes without LEDs captured 1,585 mosquitoes (22.2% of total). The fewest number of mosquitoes (16.7%) were collected from boxes affixed with the blue LEDs. Significantly more Anopheles quadrimaculatus females were aspirated from resting boxes fitted with red and IR LEDs than from those with blue or green LEDs, or from the unlit control. Blood-fed mosquitoes were recovered in highest numbers from unlit resting boxes, followed by resting boxes fitted with green, IR, and blue LEDs. Culex erraticus accounted for the majority of blood-fed mosquitoes followed by Coquillettidia perturbans. No blood-fed mosquitoes were recovered from resting boxes fitted with red LEDs.

While the use of topical insect repellents, particularly those containing synthetic active ingredients such as deet (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide), are a mainstay in personal protection strategies emphasized in public health messages, there is a growing demand in the community for alternative repellents, particularly those of botanical origin and thus deemed to be “natural.” This study evaluated the repellency of essential oils from 11 Australian native plants in 5% v/v formulations against Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex annulirostris under laboratory conditions. A blend of the top 3 performing oils was then compared with deet and a commercially available botanical insect repellent. All essential oils provided at least some protection against the 3 mosquito species, with the longest protection time (110 min) afforded by Prostanthera melissifolia against Cx. quinquefasciatus. Mean protection times against Ae. aegypti were substantially lower than those for the Culex spp. tested. Deet provided significantly longer protection against Ae. aegypti than both the 5% v/v blend of Leptospermum petersonii, Prostanthera melissifolia, and Melaleuca alternifolia (the 3 most effective oils) and the commercial botanical repellent. The results of this study indicate that these essential oils from Australian native plants offer limited protection against biting mosquitoes and that a blend of essential oils holds may offer commercial potential as a short-period repellent or under conditions of low mosquito abundance. However, it is important that public health messages continue to emphasize the greater effectiveness of deet-based repellents in areas with risks of mosquito-borne disease.

Many urban areas have engineered storm-water runoff control structures such as ditches and detention ponds. These often serve as excellent habitats for Culex pipiens and Culex restuans, the primary enzootic vectors of West Nile virus in the Midwest. We evaluated predation and control of these species by a fish species native to Wisconsin, the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). In the lab, a single minnow consumed an average of 74 Cx. pipiens larvae in a 24-h period. Minnow gender and age had minimal effect on predation of 2nd and 4th instars. In the field, fathead minnows (1,000 fish/ha) were introduced 1 time into 3 storm-water ditches with an additional 9 sites serving as controls. Sites where fish were introduced required no Bacillus sphaericus (VectoLex®) treatments during the 10-week experiment. The control sites required 19 VectoLex treatments during the same 10-week time span. Survival analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in time to first VectoLex treatment between fish sites and control sites. Our results suggest fathead minnows may provide a long-lasting and ecologically and economically feasible alternative to the use of VectoLex for Culex larval control.

Effective Mansonia larval control is difficult to achieve in Polk County, Florida, because the larvae attach to the root and stem mass of water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). This study evaluated 2 Bacillus sphaericus larvicides as possible control products in 3 phosphate lakes in 2 areas maintained by Polk County Mosquito Control. VectoLex® WDG was applied at 56 kg/km² and 170 kg/km² and VectoLex CG at 560 kg/km² and 1,100 kg/km². One lake in each site was an untreated control. Larval collections were made by collecting water lettuce plants that were shaken, washed, and processed through a series of sieves to grade larvae as early (1st, 2nd) and late (3rd, 4th) instars. Pretreatment and posttreatment collections were made in each lake. More than 3,100 larvae were collected during the study. Approximately 65% of the larvae collected were 1st/2nd instars in both areas. The higher rate of VectoLex CG reduced the larval population 63% and the higher rate of VectoLex WDG by 44%. Against the 1st/2nd instar aggregate the higher rate of VectoLex CG was more effective (69%) than the VectoLex WDG. The VectoLex CG granules appeared to remain nearer the surface and the larvae than the WDG granules. Better effectiveness might have been attained if the entire lake had been treated. In this study, VectoLex CG appeared to be more effective than VectoLex WDG.

Novaluron 10% emulsifiable concentrate (EC), an insect growth regulator (IGR), was tested against Culex quinquefasciatus immatures at 1, 5, and 10 mg active ingredient (AI)/m² applied to cesspits, drains, and abandoned wells. The IGR produced 80–100% inhibition of adult emergence (IE) for > 1 week (10–14 days) in cesspits, 1–2 weeks in street drains, and 5–10 weeks in abandoned wells at the 3 application rates. The efficacy increased with the increasing dose in street drains and abandoned wells. The residual activity of the IGR was longer in abandoned wells compared to drains and cesspits. Based on the small-scale trial, doses of 1, 5, and 10 mg AI/m² were used in the medium-scale trial for cesspits, abandoned wells, and street drains, respectively. The efficacy observed in medium-scale trial was similar to that in the small-scale trial. The results indicate that novaluron 10% EC can be used for larval control against Cx. quinquefasciatus at the application rate of 1 mg AI/m² at 10-day intervals in cesspits, at 5 mg AI/m² at 2-month intervals in abandoned wells, and at 10 mg AI/m² applied at fortnightly intervals to drains. Even at the lowest rate of 1 mg AI/m², the IGR prevented adult emergence for at least a week in cesspits and street drains and for a month in abandoned wells. Novaluron 10% EC could be one of the options for larval control operations in integrated vector management.

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the usefulness of electrostatic and conventional sprayers for barrier applications. Two conventional and three electrostatic sprayers were used in the study. Usefulness of the sprayers was rated based on penetration of spray into and deposition onto 2 sides of leaves on natural vegetation. Bifenthrin (Talstar™ adulticide) was applied at labeled rate, fluorescent dye was added to the tank mix as tracer, and all sprayers applied the dye and insecticide at the same rate. The results indicated that sprayers producing larger droplets produced significantly higher deposition on vegetation in barrier applications than the sprayers producing smaller droplets. Sprayers with higher air velocity at the nozzle discharge proved significantly better for barrier sprays than the sprayers with lower air velocity. Electrostatic sprayers did not show any improvement in deposition on vegetation or in penetration into vegetation over the conventional sprayers. There was no difference in deposition between truck-mounted and backpack sprayers.

Numerous spray machines are used to apply pesticides for the control of human disease vectors, such as mosquitoes and flies, and the selection and setup of these machines significantly affects the level of control achieved during an application. The droplet spectra produced by 9 different ultra-low–volume sprayers with oil- and water-based spray solutions were evaluated along with 2 thermal foggers with the use of diesel-based spray solutions. The droplet spectra from the sprayers were measured with the use of laser diffraction droplet sizing equipment. The volume median diameter from the sprayers ranged from 14.8 to 61.9 µm for the oil-based spray solutions and 15.5 to 87.5 µm for the water-based spray solutions. The 2 thermal foggers generated sprays with a volume median diameter of 3.5 µm. The data presented will allow spray applicators to select the spray solution and sprayer that generate the droplet-size spectra that meet the desired specific spray application scenarios.

The use of pesticide-treated vegetation as a barrier for control of nuisance and disease-bearing mosquitoes has become an option for mosquito management for home owners and public health and mosquito control professionals. Potted wax myrtle and azalea plants were treated with bifenthrin (0.79% AI) at maximum label rate using backpack and electrostatic sprayers and exposed to various treatments that could affect the residual degradation of the applied pesticides. Treatments included leaf aspect, simulated rainfall, shade, and natural sun exposure with the residual effectiveness of leaves examined in tarsal contact Petri dish assays using laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti. There was no significant difference in efficacy between the adaxial (top) or abaxial (bottom) surfaces of electrostatically or backpack-treated leaves. Significant differences existed between application method, plant species, and exposure with most significant effects between weeks 1 and 4. Simulated heavy rainfalls applied 3 times weekly reduced knockdown by leaves treated with electrostatic and backpack methods with reductions seen as soon as 1 wk after treatment. Reductions were seen with both wax myrtle and azalea leaves and after 1, 4, and 24 h contact of mosquitoes to leaves. Placement of plants with full exposure to sunlight also significantly reduced efficacy compared to plants placed in the shade. Differences were observed most often for 4 and 24 h knockdown counts, and significant decreases were seen from week 4 onwards. Clearly factors such as rain and exposure to sun impact degradation of efficacy of bifenthrin-treated vegetation in the field. Degradation of bifenthrin efficacy was slowest in sites protected from rain and sun, which coincide with preferred resting site locations for many mosquito species.

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of water quality on mosquito development at the Prado Wetlands in southern California during 2003–04. In field experimental ponds, mosquito abundance was significantly higher in the sewage effluent-treated water than in untreated control. As compared to untreated control, treated water had higher dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and turbidity, and it showed lower electrical conductivity, sulfate, carbonates, and bicarbonates. Diverse vegetation and invertebrate fauna as influenced by water quality may have contributed to higher mosquito breeding in the treated ponds. In laboratory studies, the treated water did not significantly affect the developmental rate, adult emergence, sex ratio, and overall mortality of Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis, known vectors of encephalitides in southern California. However, the ovipositional response, especially of the former species, was numerically higher to the treated than to untreated control water. Besides smaller body size of 3rd/4th instars of both species, 4th-stage larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus reared in the treated pond water weighed lighter than the control larvae.

Belowground proprietary stormwater treatment devices can produce mosquitoes, including vectors of West Nile virus. Elimination of vertical entry points such as pick holes in manhole covers may reduce the number of mosquitoes entering and reproducing in these structures. Plastic manhole dish inserts were evaluated as structural barriers against mosquito entry through pick holes in a simulated stormwater treatment device. Inserts were 100% effective at preventing mosquito entry through covers when no other openings existed. In devices configured with an open lateral conveyance pipe, the addition of an insert under the cover reduced mosquito oviposition significantly. Subsequent trials to further elucidate mosquito entry through manhole covers found a significant positive correlation between increasing number of pick holes and mosquito oviposition. Results of the study suggest the potential for manhole dish inserts to decrease the number of mosquitoes entering belowground structures. The different available stormwater treatment systems and site-specific installations may, however, provide a much greater variety of possible alternate entry points for mosquitoes than was addressed in the current study. Further work is needed in field installations to quantify the significance of pick holes to mosquito entry and determine under what conditions, if any, manhole dish inserts would be most effective and appropriate.

After Hurricane Katrina, 87 qualifying communities in Mississippi were issued contracts for disbursement of $2.8 million in federal funds for mosquito control. As part of this funding, a survey of mosquito control personnel was conducted to evaluate effectiveness of mosquito control programs at these 87 sites before and after disbursement of funds. Two nearly identical questionnaires requested information from county and municipal personnel about specifics for each of the sites, descriptions of operations and practices, information about mosquito control personnel, and information about attitudes of the respondents before and after implementation of the grant. Findings revealed that municipal mosquito control in Mississippi is conducted mostly by personnel in small town/city public works departments and not by contract to an outside agency. Also, mosquito control is composed mostly of routine spraying, based loosely on complaints, time of year, or other factors. For example, only 3% of participants in our survey utilized adult mosquito trapping surveillance data in their spray decisions, and only 11% said they dipped for larvae before treating standing water sites. In light of current environmental consciousness and chemophobia, much work remains to bring Mississippi mosquito control up to current scientific standards. The survey described herein was the first step, shedding light on specific problems encountered in mosquito control and providing public health and regulatory officials with guidance as to which issues to address first.

Aedes japonicus was first identified in the eastern United States during 1998 and has since spread to locations west of the Mississippi River. This species was found in Minnesota for the first time during 2007 at a tire recycling facility in Scott County and was identified during 2008 at 43 locations in 4 additional Minnesota counties south and east of the initial finding. These records document the presence of Ae. japonicus in 5 counties of southeastern Minnesota and indicate that the species overwinters locally.

From a discarded heavy-equipment tire (ca. 57 liter) at an industrial construction site, we collected 655 (86.0%) Orthopodomyia signifera, 23 (3.0%) Toxorhynchites rutilus septentrionalis, 17 (2.2%) Aedes japonicus japonicus, and 67 (8.8%) Culex pipiens pipiens. Although larvae of Aedes albopictus and Aedes triseriatus were not collected from this container, both species were prevalent as host-seeking adults and readily collected as larvae from other containers at this site. Laboratory trials to test the survival of prey (Ae. albopictus, Cx. p. pipiens, or Or. signifera) in the presence of Tx. rut. septentrionalis showed that survival of prey larvae differed among species. Multiple comparisons revealed that Ae. albopictus had the lowest and Or. signifera the highest survival in the presence of Tx. rut. septentrionalis. Survival of Or. signifera and Cx. p. pipiens was not significantly different from one another, but both were different from Ae. albopictus. Further testing is warranted to test other factors responsible for differences in the interspecific relationship between Or. signifera and other species in tree hole communities.

Vigilant surveillance of virus prevalence in mosquitoes is essential for risk assessment and outbreak prediction. Accurate virus detection methods are essential for arbovirus surveillance. We have developed a model to estimate the probability of accurately detecting a virus-positive mosquito from pooled field collections using standard molecular techniques. We discuss several factors influencing the probability of virus detection, including the number of virions in the sample, the total sample volume, and the portion of the sample volume that is being tested. Our model determines the probability of obtaining at least 1 virion in the sample that is tested. The model also determines the optimal sample volume that is required in any test to ensure a desired probability of virus detection is achieved, and can be used to support the accuracy of current tests or to optimize existing techniques.

Three botanical natural repellents, Swamp Buddy Bug Chaser (AI 12% plant-based essential oils), All Sport (AI plant-based essential oils, benzophenone-3, octinoxate, and octisalate), and Geraniol (AI 25% geraniol oil and lemongrass extract) were evaluated at a field site in Elkton, Florida, to determine the protection time provided against Psorophora ferox, Aedes atlanticus, and Ae. mitchellae. These three products provided different protection times against biting mosquitoes. Geraniol provided the longest protection time from mosquito bites (4 h), followed by All Sport (1.5 h) and Swamp Buddy Bug Chaser (1 h). This study provides the first information about botanical insect repellents against these floodwater mosquito species.

The effect of repeated applications of Bacillus thuringiensis var israeliensis (Bti) and B. sphaericus (Bs) on different entomologic parameters of malaria transmission was investigated in a village in central Côte d'Ivoire. The study area was monitored for potential mosquito breeding sites over a 7-month period. Microbial larvicides were applied once every 3 wk; first Bti (0.8 mg/liter), followed by Bs (10 mg/liter) 3–4 days later. Adult mosquitoes were collected inside and outside sentinel houses in 4 cross-sectional surveys using human landing catch. Repeated applications of Bti and Bs showed a decline in the biting rate of both Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae. Moreover, the entomologic inoculation rate of An. funestus was significantly reduced (from 328 to 142, P  =  0.005), whereas that of An. gambiae remained stable. In conclusion, microbial larvicides might play a role in an integrated approach for malaria control.

Aedes aegypti is the major vector of 1 of the most concerning arboviruses of the world, the dengue fever. The only effective way of reducing the incidence of dengue fever is to control the vector mosquito, mainly by application of insecticides to its breeding places. This study was aimed at assessing the insecticidal activity of sodium anacardate, isolated from Brazilian cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), against the eggs, 3rd instars or pupae of Ae. aegypti. In addition, the acute toxicity of sodium anacardate to mice was also investigated. Sodium anacardate showed toxicity against Ae. aegypti eggs (median effective concentration [EC₅₀]  =  162.93 ± 29.93 µg/ml), larvae (median lethal concentration [LC₅₀]  =  55.47 ± 3.0 µg/ml) and pupae (LC₅₀  =  369.78 ± 52.30 µg/ml). On the other hand, even at high dose (0.3 g/kg body weight), this compound did not cause any adverse effects on mice, suggesting that this compound is safe to mammals. Therefore, sodium anacardate may be a viable low-cost alternative to help combat Ae. aegypti.

A pulley-block system for elevating sentinel chicken coops was designed to conduct mosquito-borne virus surveillance in the forest canopy. This modified design allows traditional captive sentinel bird cages to be hoisted easily to the desired height and lowered at regular intervals for routine maintenance and sampling of the flocks. The design specifications of this canopy system are modifications that can easily be incorporated to existing rabbit hutches used in ground-level captive sentinel systems.