Community Ecology of Container Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Virginia Following Invasion by <I>Aedes japonicus</I>

Abstract

The success of an invasive species in a new region depends on its interactions with ecologically similar resident species. Invasions by disease vector mosquitoes are important as they may have ecological and epidemiological consequences. Potential interactions of a recent invasive mosquito, Aedes japonicus Theobald, with resident species in Virginia were evaluated by sampling larvae from containers and trapping adults. Distinct species compositions were observed for artificial containers and rock pools, with Ae. albopictus most abundant in the former and Ae. japonicus in the latter. However, these two species were found to co-occur in 21.2% of containers sampled. Among the six mosquito species most common in containers from May through September, 2006, only interspecific associations of Ae.japonicus with Aedesalbopictus(Skuse) and Aedestriseriatus(Say) were significant, and both were negative. In addition to differences in habitat preference, mean crowding estimates suggest that interspecific repulsion may contribute to the significant negative associations observed between these species. High relative abundances of late instars and pupae of Ae. japonicus seem to provide this species with a mechanism of evading competition with Ae. albopictus, facilitating their coexistence in artificial containers. Although annual fluctuations were observed, trends in adult populations over a 6-yr period provide no evidence of declines. In summary, this survey of diverse container types and all life stages provided only limited evidence for competitive displacements or reductions of resident container species by Ae. japonicus, as observed elsewhere in its invasive range.

Invasion Biology ofAedes japonicus japonicus(Diptera: Culicidae)

“…j. japonicus was the only species found in early spring and appeared to hatch in the field at temperatures typically associated with spring snow pool Aedes (15, 103). In more moderate winter climates, overwintering larvae could account for some of these early-season records (8). The laboratory studies on temperature and development, taken with the field observations of higher relative larval abundance in early spring and late fall, suggest an important key to the invasion success of Ae.…”

“…Ae. j. japonicus larval abundances in the newly expanded range are often particularly high in rock pools and tires, with the invasive species dominating the mosquito fauna at many locations and/or within a habitat category (5, 8, 11, 15, 50, 89). …”

“…j. japonicus larvae tend to be found more frequently in wooded/rural areas than in true urban sites (10) and this may be related to temperature tolerances (see above). Some researchers have observed more larvae in shaded habitats (8, 10), but others have found little evidence of discrimination between sunlit and shaded habitats (4). In addition, some researchers have observed a preference for open habitats or have found increased relative abundance of larvae in habitats located in sunlit areas (45, 98).…”

“…atropalpus in rock pools and tires after the introduction of Ae. j. japonicus (4, 5, 8, 11, 15, 94). In some cases, an absence of Ae.…”

Analysis of the interspecific association between larvae of Culex pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus, the common and medically important mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in Hail Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“…Several workers examined the association/competition among several mosquito species [4][5][6][7]. The association between Culex pipiens (Cx.…”