Mosquitoes and the city: effects of urbanization on Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens captures in southern Spain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Urbanization and land-use changes profoundly affect mosquito ecology, potentially altering species' abundance, seasonal dynamics, and pathogen transmission risk. The invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus has rapidly expanded from Southeast Asia to temperate regions worldwide, including Europe, where it now coexists with native species such as Culex pipiens. Both are competent vectors of zoonotic pathogens and may respond differently to urban environmental gradients.

Methods

We assessed the impact of urbanization on mosquito populations by comparing the abundance and seasonality of Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens in urban and periurban areas of Granada, southern Spain, over two consecutive years (2023-2024). A total of 19 mosquito trapping sessions were conducted using

SUBMITTER: Garrido M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12606909 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature