Aedes albopictus oviposits with other Aedes species in artificial oviposition cups: a case study in Knox County, Tennessee, U.S.A.

ABSTRACTInterspecific associations between two mosquito species can lead to effects such as competition, species displacement, and species stability. To better understandAedes albopictus (Skuse) and otherAedes species, we monitored eggs in artificial oviposition cups (ovitraps) within Knox County, TN, U.S.A., during the 2016 and 2017 mosquito seasons. In 2016, one black and one white ovitrap were placed at 18 sites for 21 weeks, while in 2017 black and white ovitraps baited with grass ‐infused or deionized water were placed at 11 sites for nine weeks. Eggs were identified to species and resulting counts were used to determine the degree of interspecific association using Cole's coefficients (C7) and the degree of heterogeneity across space and time using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). Here,Aedes mosquitoes are generally ovipositing in black cups with grass ‐infused water, andAe. albopictus eggs co ‐occurred with otherAedes species more often than would be expected. Finding a positive significant interspecific association betweenAe. albopictus and otherAedes eggs suggests that methods used to controlAe. albopictus may also control otherAedes mosquitoes. Finding thatAe. albopictus co ‐occurs with otherAedes mosquitoes warrants additional research to evaluate outcomes associated with co ‐occurrence within the study area.
Source: Journal of Vector Ecology - Category: Biology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
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