Detection and Establishment of Aedes notoscriptus (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes in Southern California, United States

Abstract

Aedes notoscriptus (Skuse), the Australian backyard mosquito, is a pestiferous daytime-biting species native to Australia and the surrounding southwestern Pacific region. It is suspected to play a role in the transmission of several arboviruses and is considered a competent vector of dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy). This highly adaptable mosquito thrives in natural and artificial water-holding containers in both forested and urbanized areas, from tropical to temperate climates, and has benefitted from a close association with humans, increasing in abundance within its native range. It invaded and successfully established in New Zealand as well as in previously unoccupied temperate and arid regions of Australia. Ae. notoscriptus was discovered in Los Angeles County, CA, in 2014, marking the first time this species had been found outside the southwestern Pacific region. By the end of 2019, immature and adult mosquitoes had been collected from 364 unique locations within 44 cities spanning three southern California counties. The discovery, establishment, and rapid spread of this species in urban areas may signal the global movement and advent of a new invasive container-inhabiting species. The biting nuisance, public health, and veterinary health implications associated with the invasion of southern California by this mosquito are discussed.

Evaluation of In2Care mosquito stations for suppression of the Australian backyard mosquito, Aedes notoscriptus (Diptera: Culicidae)

“…While much research has been focused on the yellow fever mosquito ( Aedes aegypti (L.)) and the tiger mosquito ( Aedes albopictus (Skuse)), other container-inhabiting and human-biting Aedes species have received less attention, limiting information about effective control measures. One such species is Aedes notoscriptus , a container-inhabiting mosquito that is broadly distributed in its native range in mainland Australia and has become invasive in other regions, including the Torres Strait Islands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia ( Dobrotworsky 1965 , Lee et al 1987 , Sunahara and Mogi 2004 ), and the United States (specifically California) ( Metzger et al 2021 ). Aedes notoscriptus is a vector of human arboviruses, such as Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus, ( Doggett and Russell 1997 ), is suspected to play a significant role in the transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans (the bacterium responsible for Buruli ulcer [BU]) ( Wallace et al 2017 ), and is also a primary vector of dog heartworm ( Russell 1985 ).…”

Evaluation of In2Care® mosquito stations for suppression of the Australian backyard mosquito,Aedes notoscriptus

“…One such species is Ae. notoscriptus , a container-breeding mosquito that is broadly distributed in its native range in Australia and has become invasive in other regions, including the Torres Strait Islands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia (Dobrotworsky 1965, Lee et al 1987, Sunahara and Mogi 2004), and the United States (specifically California) (Metzger et al 2021). Aedes notoscriptus is a vector of human arboviruses (Doggett and Russell 1997), is suspected to play a significant role in the transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans (the bacterium responsible for Buruli ulcer (BU)) (Wallace et al 2017), and is also a primary vector of dog heartworm (Russell 1985).…”

Urban population structure and dispersal of an Australian mosquito (Aedes notoscriptus) involved in disease transmission

“…Here, we use spatial population genomics to investigate the population structure and fine-scale dispersal of Ae. notoscriptus (the Australian backyard mosquito), a container breeding mosquito native to mainland Australia and Tasmania and invasive in the Torres Strait Islands, New Zealand, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia (Dobrotworsky 1965 ; Lee et al 1987 ; Sunahara and Mogi 2004 ) and more recently in California, USA (Metzger et al 2021 ). This species transmits arboviruses (e.g., Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus) and dog heartworm (Russell and Geary 1992 ; Doggett and Russell 1997 ; Watson and Kay 1999 ) and is also suspected to be a significant vector of Mycobacterium ulcerans , the bacterium that causes Buruli ulcer (BU) (Wallace et al 2017 ; Mee et al unpublished data).…”