Host-seeking activity and avian host preferences of mosquitoes associated with West Nile virus transmission in the northeastern U.S.A.

Abstract

Mosquito host-seeking activity was studied using a custom-designed trap to explore: (1) at which time interval of the night adult mosquito abatement would be most effective, and (2) if there exists an avian-specific host-seeking preference. Overnight trials using traps baited with dry ice showed that Aedes taeniorhynchus (Wiedemann) was most active at dusk and was then captured throughout the night. In contrast, Culex spp. (Cx. pipiens (Linnaeus) and Cx. restuans (Theobald) delayed most activity until about two h after dusk and were then captured through the night. This pattern suggests that management activities directed at adult Culex spp. would be most effective if initiated well after sunset. Mosquito capture rates in traps baited with birds in net bags were significantly greater than those with empty net bags, indicating that mosquitoes were attracted to the birds and not incidentally being sucked in by the custom trap's strong fan motor (Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test, n = 24, t = 30, p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that bird weight influenced mosquito attraction (r 2 = 0.21, p = 0.02). Trials with paired traps that contained different native bird species showed that Gray Catbirds, Dumatella carolinensis, attracted more mosquitoes than the heavier Northern Cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis (paired samples t-test, t = 2.58, df = 7, p = 0.04). However, attractiveness did not differ substantially among bird species, and Gray Catbirds did not attract more mosquitoes than all other birds combined as a group. American Robins, Turdus migratorius (n = 4) were comparable in attractiveness to other bird species, but not enough American Robins were captured for a comprehensive study of mosquito avian preference. Journal of Vector Ecology 35 (1): 69-74. 2010.

Developing Models for the Forage Ratios of Culiseta melanura and Culex erraticus Using Species Characteristics for Avian Hosts

“…Carbon dioxide is one of the primary biochemical attractants to vertebrate hosts identiÞed for mosquitoes (reviewed in Nicolas and Sillans 1989), so larger birds would be expected to attract questing mosquitoes at a higher rate compared with smaller birds. In a recent study, the body mass of birds in baited mosquito traps was positively associated with the number of mosquitoes captured at the trap (Suom et al 2010), suggesting that indeed carbon-dioxide output of individual host species could inßuence their contact rate with mosquitoes. However, birds with greater body masses also occupy a greater volume of space, such that mosquitoes are more likely to encounter larger birds.…”

The abundance and host-seeking behavior of culicine species (Diptera: Culicidae) and Anopheles sinensis in Yongcheng city, people's Republic of China

“…Mosquito host-seeking behavior can be studied by different methods [30,33,74-77]. In the northeastern USA, host-seeking activities and avian host preferences of mosquitoes associated with West Nile virus (WNV) transmission were studied by a custom-designed trap baited with dry ice [77].…”

“…In the northeastern USA, host-seeking activities and avian host preferences of mosquitoes associated with West Nile virus (WNV) transmission were studied by a custom-designed trap baited with dry ice [77]. To study potential WNV vectors, horse- and bird-baited traps and HLC methods were carried out weekly from May to October 2004 at two Camargue sites [45].…”

Cascade of ecological consequences for West Nile virus transmission when aquatic macrophytes invade stormwater habitats

“…Nocturnal occupancy of these communal roosts coincides with the diel activity patterns of host‐seeking C. pipiens and C. restuans (Suom et al. ). By providing habitat that supports the formation of communal bird roosts, dense stands of cattails and phragmites in stormwater BMPs could facilitate a temporal and spatial convergence of vectors and avian hosts in residential land use and thereby change the frequency of host–vector interactions, potentially increasing WNV transmission.…”