Diel activity patterns of adult female mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) determined by a novel rotated trap in northeastern Florida, U.S.A.

Authors: CHAO, SHI - Wuxi University; ZHU, DING - Wuxi University; Dixon, Daniel; KHATER, EMAD - Ain Shams University Of Cairo; XUE, RUI-DE - Anastasia Mosquito Control District

Submitted to: Journal of Vector Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2019
Publication Date: 5/23/2019
Citation: Chao, S., Zhu, D., Dixon, D.P., Khater, E., Xue, R. 2019. Diel activity patterns of adult female mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) determined by a novel rotated trap in northeastern Florida, U.S.A. Journal of Vector Ecology. 44(1):149-153. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvec.12339.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvec.12339

Interpretive Summary: The Florida SLE mosquito is the most important disease vector in Florida. To improve protection from these biting pests, it is critical to understand their daily activity patterns. A scientist with USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida, in collaboration with international scientists and at the Anastasia Mosquito Control District, Saint Augustine Florida, assessed the utility of a novel rotator trap in determining the daily activities of these mosquito pests. The study demonstrated that the female mosquitoes had specific activity times in afternoon and evening depending on whether they had previously laid eggs. This shows that the rotator trap could be an important tool to determine activity periods of the mosquitoes and provide an implement for establishing timing of effective control spraying for these disease vector mosquitoes.

Technical Abstract: A novel rotator trap was evaluated to determine the diel activity patterns and physiological state of adult female mosquitoes in St. Augustine, FL, U.S.A. Culex nigripalpus were most active from 19:00-21:00, followed by 1:00-3:00, based on collections from the novel rotator trap. Furthermore, analysis of the physiological state of female mosquitoes collected by the novel rotator trap suggested that non-parous (nulliparous) host-seeking mosquitoes were more frequently active in the 21:00-23:00 and 09:00-19:00 time frames. Parous host-seeking mosquitoes were more frequently collected from 19:00-21:00 and 1:00-3:00. A low abundance of gravid females was collected by the rotator trap, so analysis of their activity periods was inconclusive. These results indicate that the novel rotated trap could be used to detect the diel activity patterns of adult mosquitoes in mosquito control programs and more testing should be conducted in the future.