Characterizing seasonal changes in the reproductive activity of Culex mosquitoes throughout the fall, winter, and spring in Ohio.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Culex mosquitoes are the primary vectors of West Nile virus (WNV) across the USA. Understanding when these vectors are active indicates times when WNV transmission can occur. This study determined the proportion of female Culex mosquitoes that were in diapause during the fall and winter and when they terminated diapause and began blood feeding in the spring.

Methods

Mosquitoes were collected from parks using various traps and/or aspirated from culverts in Franklin County, Ohio, from October to mid-May from 2019 to 2022. Culex mosquitoes were morphologically identified to species, and the ovaries of females were dissected to determine their diapause and parity statuses.

Results

By early October 2021, roughly 95% of Culex pipiens collected in culverts were in

SUBMITTER: Siperstein A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10230737 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature