Female and male adults of Armigeres (Armigeres) mahantai, a new mosquito species, are described from Meghalaya state of northeastern India.

The Culex pipiens complex consists of several species, subspecies, forms, races, physiological variants, or biotypes according to different authors and includes the 2 holarctic variants Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and Cx. pipiens biotype molestus. Differences in morphological characters are overlapping and thus are delimited in their taxonomic value, even when behavioral and reproductive specializations are apparent. Our enzyme electrophoretic study included 7 geographic populations of Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and 7 of the biotype molestus from several European countries. For comparison, 5 populations of Culex quinquefasciatus from Asia, Africa, and North America were examined. The aim was an assessment of the extent of genetic differences between local populations of the biotypes pipiens and molestus versus the degree of differentiation between geographic populations of both groups. Culex torrentium, Cx. modestus, Culex stigmatosoma, and Culex territans were studied for comparison as taxonomical well-defined species. The population genetic analyses revealed much higher genetic distances between local populations of Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and Cx. pipiens biotype molestus compared to the low differentiation between geographic populations within each taxon. The UPGMA analysis and F-statistics position the geographic populations in discrete monophyletic clusters. Gene flow between local populations of the biotypes pipiens and molestus could be shown to be lower than gene flow between geographically distant populations within each of the 2 groups, leading to the conclusion that Cx. pipiens biotype molestus could be a distinct taxon. Culex quinquefasciatus could be diagnosed as genetically well separated, in particular by the diagnostic enzyme marker MDH (NADP). Two genetic enzyme markers were identified to differentiate Cx. torrentium from Cx. pipiens s.l. Culex modestus, Cx. stigmatosoma, and Cx. territans showed considerable genetic distances to the species of the Culex pipiens complex and between each other, and several genetic markers could be identified.

Mosquitoes of the genus Haemagogus are important vectors of yellow fever virus and other arboviruses and are the principal reservoirs of these viruses in nature. Haemagogus capricornii and Haemagogus janthinomys are closely related species between which females are morphologically cryptic. A morphometric study of these species was performed on male and female specimens from 14 municipalities in Brazil. Morphometric analyses were able to distinguish females. Multivariate morphometrics may be a useful tool for taxonomic studies of cryptic species in this group.

In July 2006, an introduction of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, was documented for the first time at a commercial tire recycling plant in northeastern Connecticut, USA. The introduction likely occurred via transport of infested tires originating from northern New Jersey or metropolitan New York City. Efforts were made to determine seasonal establishment and overwintering success by assessing adult biting and oviposition activity in the surrounding woodlands. The first adult female was collected in a CO₂-baited Mosquito Magnet® Liberty trap within the confines of the tire plant during the week of July 28. Additional females were collected intermittently thereafter through October 16. Host-seeking female Ae. albopictus attempting to alight on human subjects and larvae hatching from eggs collected in ovitraps placed in the woodlands surrounding the tire plant were detected weekly from August 21 through October 2, denoting seasonal establishment in the adjoining woodlands. However, no larvae of Ae. albopictus were recovered from eggs collected in ovitraps that were placed in the surrounding woodlands or in traps placed 1.0–1.6 km away, nor were any host-seeking females detected by human subjects the following season (July to October 2007), indicating that the species did not survive winter conditions to enable successful colonization. The failure of Ae. albopictus to overwinter and establish itself in the forested woodlands following several weeks of seasonal breeding and oviposition during the summer and early fall were most likely due to winter egg mortality, interspecific competition from Aedes triseriatus and Aedes japonicus, and/or other ecological barriers. Permanent establishment of Ae. albopictus in New England is unlikely despite the recurring importation of infested used tires into recycling facilities. However, continued monitoring of such facilities for potential reinvasion is warranted especially in urban/suburban environs where global warming and milder winter temperatures may provide more suitable conditions in the future for colonization.

Mosquito larval surveillance for environmental monitoring and pest-control purposes was conducted monthly at dredged soil-dumping areas during the construction of a new harbor in Yongcheon Bay, approximately 5 km SE of Jinhae, on the SW side of Namsan (Mt. Nam) and across the bay from Su-do (Su Island) in Gyeongsangnam Province, Republic of Korea (ROK) from November 2007 through April 2008. During this study, mosquitoes collected as overwintering larvae were Aedes togoi in brackish rock pools along the seashore and Anopheles lindesayi japonicus along the vegetated margins of a slow-flowing drainage ditch and associated freshwater ground pools containing green algae. Overwintering An. lindesayi larvae also were collected along stream margins and stream pools of moderate- to fast-flowing mountain streams near Chungju (Chungcheongbuk Province) (October 2007 and March 2008) and Munsan (Gyeonggi Province) (September 2007 and April 2008). First and second instars were collected and identified in late September 2007 through February 2008. During March and April, collections were primarily 3rd and 4th instars, and by the end of April, pupae were collected. This is the first report of An. lindesayi japonicus overwintering as larvae in the ROK.

The presence of West Nile (WNV) and dengue viruses and the lack of recent mosquito surveys in Puerto Rico prompted an investigation on the distribution and abundance of potential arbovirus vectors in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, and their variation with seasons and habitats. We sampled mosquitoes in early and late 2005 in 58 sites from forests, nonforest vegetation, wetlands, and high- and low-density housing areas using ovijars, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light/CO₂ traps, and gravid traps. A total of 28 mosquito species was found. San Juan had potential WNV enzootic vectors (Culex nigripalpus) within and around the city in wetlands and forests, but few were captured in residential areas. A potential WNV bridge vector (Cx. quinquefasciatus) was abundant in urbanized areas, and it was positively correlated with the main dengue vector, Aedes aegypti. High-density housing areas harbored more Ae. aegypti. Container mosquitoes, including Aedes mediovittatus, were more abundant during the climax of the rainy season when most dengue occurs in Puerto Rico. The greatest risk for contracting WNV would be visiting forests and swamps at night. Culex (Culex) and Culex (Melanoconion) mosquito species were more abundant during the transition dry–wet seasons (March–May).

We compared 6 adult mosquito traps for effectiveness in collecting Aedes albopictus from suburban backyards with the goal of finding a more suitable surveillance replacement for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light trap. Trap selection included 2 commercial propane traps (Mosquito Magnet™ Professional trap and Mosquito Magnet Liberty trap), 2 Aedes-specific traps (Fay-Prince Omnidirectional trap and Wilton trap), 1 experimental trap (Mosquito Magnet-X trap), and a standard surveillance CDC light trap that served as a control. Traps that did not generate carbon dioxide were provided with bottled CO₂ at a flow rate of 500 ml/min. Those traps designed for use with chemical attractants (Mosquito Magnet traps) were baited with Lurex™ (L-lactic acid) and octenol (1-octen-3-ol) commercial baits, known attractants to Ae. albopictus. Three repetitions of a 6 × 6 Latin square test yielded a total of 37,237 mosquitoes, of which 5,280 (14.2%) were Ae. albopictus. Significantly more (P < 0.05) Ae. albopictus were collected from the experimental and commercial traps (4,244/5,280; 80.3%) than from the CDC light trap and Aedes-specific traps. The Mosquito Magnet Liberty collected the most Ae. albopictus (1,591), accounting for 30.1% of the total take, followed closely by the Mosquito Magnet-X (1,468) and the Mosquito Magnet Pro (1,185). The omnidirectional Fay-Prince trap performed better than the CDC or Wilton trap. Twenty-seven mosquito species were collected during these trials, 9 species in large enough numbers for meaningful analysis. Aedes albopictus was the second most common mosquito trapped. The results of these trials indicate that propane-powered commercial traps would serve as useful substitutes in lieu of CDC traps in Ae. albopictus surveillance efforts. Trap features advantageous for collecting Ae. albopictus and other mosquito species are discussed.

We compare the community composition, abundance, and seasonality of mosquito species detected by the encephalitis virus surveillance (EVS) CO₂ traps and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps. Traps were run concurrently for a year during routine weekly monitoring in the vicinity of the city of Darwin in northern Australia. The EVS CO₂ traps detected far more individuals than CDC light traps notwithstanding a weaker suction fan, but species richness was similar. Regardless of variation in community composition among sites, differences between trap types were remarkably consistent. Seasonal trends in the abundance of 5 key species from each trap type were similar, but markedly more so in strongly seasonal species. Although EVS CO₂ traps outperformed CDC light traps for routine monitoring, the historical transition from the latter to the former is unlikely to have major consequences for the identification of community composition or detection of seasonal trends in key species.

Spinosad 12% suspension concentrate (SC) and 0.5% granular (G) formulations were tested against Culex quinquefasciatus immatures at 3 dosages—50, 100, and 150 mg active ingredient (AI)/m²—in cesspits, street drains, and disused wells in comparison with temephos 1% G at 1 part per million. The 2 formulations reduced the density of pupae of Cx. quinquefasciatus by 80–100% for 7–14 days in cesspits, 7–18 days in drains, and 33–69 days in disused wells at the 3 dosages tested. The 12% SC and 0.5% G formulations were equally effective in suppressing the larval and pupal populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus in all the habitats treated. At 100 mg AI/m² in drains and cesspits, the efficacy of spinosad 0.5% G was greater than that of temephos (1% G) and that of spinosad 12% SC was comparable to that of temephos (1% G) applied to the 2 habitats. In disused wells, both the formulations lasted longer than temephos. Based on the small-scale trial, the rate of 150 mg AI/m² of spinosad was selected for field application to cesspits and drains and 50 mg AI/m² for application to disused wells. The efficacy observed in medium-scale trials was in agreement with that of small-scale trials. The trial showed that the 2 formulations of spinosad can be used for larval control of Cx. quinquefasciatus, at 50 mg AI/m², applied at weekly intervals to cesspits and street drains and at monthly intervals to disused wells. At the higher dose of 150 mg AI/m², the 2 formulations were effective in suppressing the pupal population for 2 wk in cesspits and street drains and for 2 months in disused wells.

The efficacy of maximum label rates of bifenthrin applications to dry tires to prevent Aedes mosquito breeding was investigated by field colonization and bioassay trials in shaded and unshaded locations. Aedes notoscriptus and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae were the most abundant species present in the field colonization trial. Colonization and survival of Ae. notoscriptus larvae to the late instar occurred significantly earlier in treated tires in shaded compared with unshaded locations (P  =  0.002). Bifenthrin applications in shaded tires only prevented early instar survival for ∼2.6 wk. Aedes notoscriptus late instars did not appear in the treated unshaded tires. Culex quinquefasciatus colonized treated tires from the 2^nd wk in both shaded and unshaded treatments. In the bioassay, water from bifenthrin-treated tires, through extrapolation, was found to kill ∼100% of late instar Ae. notoscriptus for only ∼2.0–2.2 wk in shaded and unshaded tires. Under conditions optimal for Aedes breeding, such as shaded locations, high ambient temperatures, high relative humidity, and high amounts of leaf/organic matter accumulations, bifenthrin may not be effective as a larval control measure in tires for greater than 2.0–2.6 wk.

We studied the impacts of exposure to ultra-low volume (ULV) applications of resmethrin (Scourge®) on monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) larvae and adults. In a series of 3 experiments, we measured short- and long-term survival of monarch larvae and adults, and the impacts of consuming previously exposed host plants on monarch larvae. We measured efficacy during all experiments with caged sentinel mosquitoes, and during Experiments 1 and 2 with pretreatment, treatment, and posttreatment measurements of mosquito abundance in CO₂ traps. Downwind monarch larval and adult mortality were higher than upwind or control mortality up to 120 m, but not 170 m, from the spray path. In 1 experiment, monarchs exposed to spray as larvae developed into smaller adults, suggesting sublethal impacts. Milkweed host plants sprayed 1, but not 2 or 4 days previously, resulted in increased monarch larval mortality. Sentinel mosquito mortality was generally high, and CO₂ traps revealed substantially lower mosquito abundance immediately after the treatment (>90% reduction) but <20% reduction 24 h after treatment. Our results suggest that ULV resmethrin applications will impact lepidopteran larvae and adults that are directly exposed to the spray but that generalizations about other nontarget taxa will require additional research. The magnitude of population-level impacts on monarchs will depend on the proportion of the population that is exposed.

A 1-year larval and adult population survey of pestiferous chironomids was conducted in 4 man-made wetlands in a resort area of central Florida, USA. Benthic samples were randomly collected from each wetland at least once every month. Geocoordinates, water depth, and physical composition of substrates at each larval sample location were noted. Adult midge populations were sampled weekly around the wetlands by employing 10 New Jersey light traps permanently placed in the area. Chironominae and Tanypodinae midges occurred in the larval and adult samples; a few Orthocladiinae were also taken. Among Chironominae, Chironomini (mostly Polypedilum spp., Cryptochironomus spp., Glyptotendipes paripes, and Goeldichironomus carus) and Tanytarsini (mostly Tanytarsus spp.), and some other Chironomidae were recorded. Tanypodinae were quantitatively not important. Monthly mean number of total adults per trap-night ranged from 23 in February to 211 in October. Annual mean larval density and range of total chironomids in the study wetlands amounted to 1,128/m², range: 0–12,332/m². The total larvae were most abundant in May. Tanytarsus spp. and Polypedilum spp. were numerically the most predominant spatially as well as temporally. Mean water depth at the sampled locations was 1.83 m (range: <1–8.75 m); 47% of the total collected larvae occurred at <1-m water depth and 53% at >1-m-deep water. Of all sampled locations, substrates such as sand, mixed substrates, and muck were respectively encountered at 656, 371, and 299 locations. The predominance of sand and mixed substrates was conducive to supporting the numerically dominant Tanytarsus spp. and Polypedilum spp. In laboratory bioassays, Tanytarsus spp., Polypedilum spp., Glyptotendipes paripes, and Goeldichironomus carus were highly susceptible to temephos, as well as to s-methoprene. Bacillus thuringiensis serovar. israelensis was most effective against Tanytarsus spp. and least against Goeldichironomus carus.

Larvae of Culiseta melanura were collected during June 2001 and January 2002 in Nuevo Leon State, Mexico. This is the first record of this species in Mexico. Female and male adults of Aedes sollicitans were collected during May 1992 and June 1994 in Tamaulipas State and Nuevo Leon State, respectively; adult females of Ae. sollicitans were collected also during 1996 from a resting place in Oaxaca State. These records for Ae. sollicitans supplement previous Mexican records of the species. All specimens were identified through examination of adult females, male genitalia, and associated larval exuviae when available.

Dengue is a tropical disease caused by an arbovirus transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Because no effective vaccine is available for the disease, the strategy for its prevention has focused on vector control by the use of natural insecticides. The aim of this study was to evaluate the larvicidal activity of the lignan grandisin, a leaf extract from Piper solmsianum, against Ae. aegypti.

The mosquito larvicidal and pupicidal potential of the silicone-based monomolecular film Aquatain® Mosquito Formula (AMF), was investigated in laboratory trials against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Larval and pupal mortality was investigated in separate trials. After 48 h of exposure, mean mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus 4^th instars was 94.6%, significantly greater than the mean mortality rate of 33.6% for Ae. aegypti. After 180 min of exposure, 100% mortality of pupae was recorded for both species. Mean larval and pupal mortality rates for both species were significantly greater than mortality rates in untreated controls. The results indicate that AMF holds potential for mosquito control, especially in urban water-holding structures that are becoming increasingly popular in response to water conservation. Nontarget impacts must be investigated before this product can be considered for natural wetlands.

Field trials were conducted at 3 locations in Arkansas County, AR, to compare the effectiveness of 3 residential mosquito traps, the Stinger Mosquito Vacuum™, the Mosquito Magnet® Defender, and the Mosquito Deleto™ 2500 Active System, against riceland mosquitoes, specifically Anopheles quadrimaculatus and Psorophora columbiae. Both the Stinger Mosquito Vacuum and the Mosquito Deleto captured significantly more An. quadrimaculatus and total mosquitoes than did the Mosquito Magnet Defender. The Mosquito Deleto captured significantly more Ps. columbiae than did either of the other 2 traps.

Two formulations, VectoBac® 12 AS and VectoBac® WDG, of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and one formulation, VectoLex® WDG, of Bacillus sphaericus were tested against Anopheles maculipennis, Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, Aedes caspius, and Aedes dorsalis larvae in drainage canals, a flooded plain, and a drainage well in the Igdir Plain of Arafat Valley, Turkey. VectoBac 12 AS applied at 0.5 and 1 liter/ha to a drainage canal provided complete control of Cx. theileri and 80% to 98% control of An. maculipennis. VectoLex WDG at 400 g/ha provided 100% larval control of Cx. pipiens and Cx. theileri in polluted drainage canals. High larval density of Ae. caspius decreased the efficacy of VectoBac 12 AS and VectoBac WDG in the flooded plain. Residual effects of Bti formulations lasted only a few days in the breeding areas. Residual activity of VectoLex WDG was negatively influenced by water depth, organic pollution, and sunlight and positively influenced by low water velocity and emergent vegetation.