The new classification of tribe Aedini is used in a tentative checklist of the mosquitoes found in Vietnam, which contains 34 genera, 28 subgenera, and 191 species and subspecies. Mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam are mentioned. Mosquito records from U.S. military sources during the Vietnam War are also considered.

There are 3 recognized chromosomal forms (B, E, K) in the taxon of Anopheles maculatus, 1 of the 8 members of the Anopheles maculatus group. Previous studies suggested that forms B and E are cytotypes of the species, but genetic characteristics of form K are unknown. The present study used crossing experiments, and polytene chromosomes of the ovarian nurse cell in F₁ hybrids to show that form K is genetically distinct from forms B and E. In addition, postzygotic genetic incompatibility between form K and An. sawadwongporni, An. dravidicus, and An. pseudowillmori are demonstrated. In all crosses, hybrid males were sterile, with atrophied testes and accessory glands, or partially sterile with abnormal spermatozoa. The hybrid females showed varying degrees of atrophied ovaries. The ovarian nurse cell polytene chromosomes of the F₁ hybrid females displayed ∼70% to almost complete asynapsis. The results provide clear evidence that form K should no longer be regarded as a cytotype of An. maculatus. The present study supports previous suggestions that form K represents another species of the Maculatus group.

Culex (Culex) saltanensis is redescribed in the adult, pupal, and larval stages. The male genitalia, pupae, and 4th-stage larvae are illustrated. Information about distribution, bionomics, and taxonomy is included. Culex saltanensis adults are separated from the closely related species Cx. (Cux.) coronator on the basis of morphometric characters.

Morphological variants showing differences in length of median white scaled bands on the proboscises of female Aedes sollicitans (Cape May County, NJ) are described from F1 progeny of wild-caught mosquitoes. The length of the white-scaled band was classified into 5 categories: 1) large (0.53–0.60 mm), 2) medium (0.40–0.47 mm), 3) small (0.27–0.33 mm), 4) very small (0.13–0.20 mm) band to a patch of scales on the lateral aspect, and 5) a black proboscis Misidentification of adults during surveillance can be avoided by using other species-specific characters for Ae. sollicitans lacking a white-scaled band on the proboscis.

Clinic data depicted a high incidence of malaria in a forest ecotype in the Kumaon foothills of District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. A study was therefore conducted to determine the risk factors associated with the transmission of malaria from 2002 to 2004. The man-hour densities of Anopheles culicifacies and An. fluviatilis varied from 2 to 139 and 1 to 69, respectively. The sporozoite rate of 0.24% was recorded in An. culicifacies. Sibling species investigation revealed prevalence of species B (53.8%) and C (46.2%) of An. culicifacies and of species T (100%) of An. fluviatilis complexes. The slide positivity rate and slide falciparum rate were 50.4% and 28.3%, respectively. The infant parasite rate was 42.9% and the enlarged spleen rate among the children was 25.95%. The findings revealed the persistence of malaria in the area mainly due to indigenous transmission through the malaria vector An. culicifacies and the inadequacy of intervention measures. Transmission could be curtailed by indoor residual application of malathion.

We investigated the bacterial community composition of tree holes in relation to the presence and absence of larvae of the mosquito Ochlerotatus triseriatus. Larvae were eliminated from a subset of natural tree holes with Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis, and total bacterial numbers, slow- and fast-growing colony-forming units on minimal media, and 16S rRNA gene sequence data from water column and leaf material were obtained. Total bacterial counts did not change significantly with treatment; however, the number of slow-growing cultivable bacteria significantly increased in the absence of larvae. Sequence classifications and comparisons of sequence libraries using LIBSHUFF indicated that the elimination of larvae significantly altered bacterial community composition. Major groups apparently affected by larvae were Flavobacteriaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae. A clear dominance of Flavobacteriaceae in the water column after larval removal suggests members of this group are a major bacterial food source.

At a wetland study site in Tuskegee National Forest, AL, resting female mosquitoes were collected from natural and artificial resting sites to identify species-specific resting sites and to evaluate various artificial resting sites for their utility in collecting resting mosquitoes. Natural resting sites included small tree cavities, large tree cavities, and understory vegetation. Artificial resting sites included resting boxes, fiber pots, and plastic trash cans. We collected 12,888 female mosquitoes, representing 23 species in 8 genera, during the 6-month study. Each mosquito species demonstrated a preference for a particular type of resting site. Resting Aedes vexans females were collected almost exclusively from understory vegetation, while the great majority of Anopheles quadrimaculatus females were aspirated from large tree cavities. Culex erraticus and Cx. peccator females preferred trash cans over other available resting sites. Females of Cx. territans, although collected most commonly in large tree cavities, were also collected frequently from understory vegetation and trash cans. A multiple regression of resting-site parameters (excluding vegetation), including volume, surface area, and opening size, indicated that 50% and 20% of the variability associated with An. quadrimaculatus and Cx. territans collections, respectively, could be explained by opening size. Inner surface area and volume accounted for 33% and 12% of variation in Cx. erraticus and Cx. peccator collections, respectively. Thus, female mosquitoes generally preferred larger resting sites over smaller resting sites. Similarly shaped artificial resting sites (fiber pots and trash cans) yielded comparable numbers of females per unit of volume (for those species that preferred artificial resting sites), indicating that shape of the resting site is an important factor in resting-site preference. In addition, trash cans proved to be a valuable novel tool for collecting resting female mosquitoes.

In 2004, gravid-trap infusions made from commercially available garden products were compared in field assays to determine their attractiveness to ovipositing female mosquitoes. Experiments were conducted simultaneously at a residential site and at an auto salvage yard in Lee County, AL, each site having an abundance of container-breeding mosquitoes. Several infusion types were initially screened, from which the following 4 infusions were selected to be compared using gravid traps for their attractiveness to mosquitoes under field conditions: oak leaves, pine straw, red (dyed) hardwood mulch, and composted manure. Culex quinquefasciatus was the only species collected in greater numbers with gravid traps than with light traps, and the difference was more than 5-fold at both study sites. Gravid traps collected (mean ± SD) 3.1 ± 4.3 and 6.9 ± 11.5 Cx. quinquefasciatus females at the residential and auto salvage sites, respectively. The response of Cx. quinquefasciatus females to infusions tested was variable, and no single infusion was consistently more attractive throughout the experiment. Gravid traps collected 1.7 ± 1.9 and 4.7 ± 4.4 Aedes albopictus females, 0.3 ± 1.4 and 0.5 ± 1.3 Cx. nigripalpus females, and 0.3 ± 0.9 and 0.2 ± 0.8 Cx. restuans females at the residential and auto salvage sites, respectively. Roughly 5-, 20- and 10-fold the numbers of females of Aedes albopictus, Cx. nigripalpus, and Cx. restuans were collected by light traps than by gravid traps at both sites. Aedes albopictus females did not demonstrate a preference for any of the infusions tested. Significant difference among infusions for Cx. restuans and Cx. nigripalpus were detected on just 1 trap-night. On this occasion, traps with red (dyed) hardwood mulch collected significantly more females of Cx. restuans and Cx. nigripalpus than did traps with other infusions. This work indicates that gravid traps are effective tools for collecting Cx. quinquefasciatus females, and a wide variety of organic materials may be used to produce infusions that can be used to attract ovipositing container-breeding mosquitoes.

Aedes albopictus is a potential West Nile virus bridge vector in Northern Virginia; however, information regarding its virus transmission dynamics is limited, as this species is not readily collected in existing traps. This study used 5 replicates of a 5 × 5 Latin square to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of 2 novel host-seeking mosquito traps (the BG-Sentinel^TM and the Collapsible Mosquito Trap (CMT-20^TM) in collecting Ae. albopictus, relative to a carbon dioxide (CO₂)–baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) miniature light trap. When used with CO₂, the BG-Sentinel (with BG-Lure) collected 33 times more female Ae. albopictus per 24-h trapping period than did the CO₂-baited CDC light trap. Without CO₂, the BG-Sentinel (with BG-Lure) still collected over 6 times as many female Ae. albopictus as the CO₂-baited CDC trap. Both configurations of the BG-Sentinel were significantly more effective than the other traps. The BG-Sentinel was also significantly more efficient in collecting Ae. albopictus and collected a high proportion of this species, both with CO₂ and without CO₂. The CMT-20 (with SkinLure^TM) collected significantly more Ae. albopictus when used with CO₂ than without CO₂, but did not collect significantly more Ae. albopictus than the CO₂-baited CDC light trap. The proportion of Ae. albopictus collected in the CMT-20 with CO₂ and without CO₂ did not differ significantly from the proportion of Ae. albopictus collected in the CDC trap.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps and Mosquito Magnet® X (MMX) traps baited with dry ice, octenol, and a new formulation (granular) of carbon dioxide (CO₂) were evaluated against adult mosquitoes in the field. The results showed that the MMX traps (68.6%) baited with dry ice collected more mosquitoes compared to the CDC light traps (32.4%) only. The CDC traps baited with dry ice (64%) collected significantly more mosquitoes than traps baited with CO₂ sachets (11%) or octenol (23%). The MMX traps baited with dry ice (85.5%) collected significantly more mosquitoes than traps baited with CO₂ sachets (6.5%) or octenol (9%). The CDC traps baited with the formulations of normal and slow release CO₂ sachets collected more mosquitoes than the formulation of fast release sachets. The CDC traps baited with fresh sachets and 24-h-exposed sachets collected significantly more mosquitoes than the traps baited with 48-h- and 72-h-exposed sachets.

Two types of commercial propane-powered traps, mosquito magnet (MM) (American Biophysics Corporation) MM-Freedom® (Freedom) and MM-Liberty Plus® (Liberty Plus), were evaluated for the collection of Culicoides. Trap preference and seasonal characteristics for the 3 major species, Culicoides furens, Culicoides barbosai, and Culicoides mississippiensis, were recorded from July 7, 2005, to July 24, 2006. Over 35 million Culicoides were captured during our study. When species were evaluated separately, analysis of overall mean trap collections yielded 5 months (February, March, June, September, and October) with significant trap effects. The Freedom trap captured more C. furens in June and October; the Liberty Plus trap captured more C. mississippiensis in February, March, and April, and more C. barbosai in September. The high numbers of Culicoides captured during our study suggest that the number of host-seeking Culicoides could potentially be reduced by continuous trapping during times when they are prevalent. Results of these investigations will be used to guide future control efforts.

The residual effectiveness of pyrethroid-treated vegetation as a barrier against female host-seeking Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus was evaluated in large screened-cage field tests for 12 wk. Individual potted southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera L.) plants were treated with either beta-cyfluthrin (Tempo SC Ultra©), lambda-cyhalothrin (Demand CS©), or tau-fluvalinate (Mavrik Perimeter©) at maximum label rates. Suction mosquito traps (MMX) baited with carbon dioxide placed near plants treated with tau-fluvalinate provided significant overall reduction (≈62–80%) of mosquitoes through 2 wk compared with untreated plants. Overall percent knockdown/mortality from excised-leaf bioassays was similar to suction-trap reduction data. However, knockdown/mortality in leaf bioassays was greater for Ae. albopictus than for Cx. quinquefasciatus, whereas no such effect was observed in trap collections. Mosquito abundance in MMX collections near plants treated with beta-cyfluthrin provided similar levels of reduction as tau-fluvalinate–treated plants through 1 wk and 3–4 wk after treatment. Leaf toxicity generally provided ≈>90% knockdown/mortality on beta-cyfluthrin–treated leaves throughout the study. Generally, no consistent difference in trap reduction or weekly knockdown/mortality in leaf bioassays was observed between either mosquito species. Plants treated with lambda-cyhalothrin provided significantly greater overall reduction of mosquitoes (75–83%) from MMX collections for the first 5 wk compared with untreated plants. Knockdown/mortality levels and duration of leaf toxicity from lambda-cyhalothrin–treated leaves was similar to that of beta-cyfluthrin, with no consistent differences between mosquito species.

Mosquito management plans have been implemented in the United States and globally to manage mosquito vectors of West Nile virus and many other diseases. However, there is public concern about ecological risks from using insecticides to manage mosquitoes. Two studies were conducted during the late summers of 2004 through 2006 at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Great Falls, MT. The first experiment was conducted in 2004 and 2005 to assess acute impacts of mosquito adulticides (permethrin and d-phenothrin) and larvicides (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis and methoprene) on nontarget aquatic and terrestrial arthropods after a single application. The second experiment was conducted in 2005 and 2006 to assess longer-term impacts of permethrin on nontarget terrestrial arthropods after multiple repeated applications. For aquatic samples, in the first study, no overall treatment effects were observed despite a potentially deleterious effect on amphipods on sample date 1 in 2004. During the same study, 1 of 54 responses had a significant overall treatment effect for sticky-card samples. Many of the responses for sticky-card samples suggested significant time effects and time × treatment effects. Three response variables were associated with fewer individuals present in the insecticide-treated plots in a multivariate analysis. For the multiple-spray study conducted in 2005 and 2006, 6 of the response variables collected via sticky cards exhibited significant overall treatment effects, but none was associated with fewer individuals in the insecticide-treated plots. None of the responses collected using sweep-net sampling suggested overall treatment effects. Time and time × treatment effects were prevalent in 2005, but no discernable pattern was evident. In general, nearly all of the responses evaluated for either study indicated few, if any, deleterious effects from insecticide application.

Resistance to permethrin and the activity of metabolic enzymes were monitored in field-collected Culex tarsalis from northeastern Colorado during 2005 and 2006 and compared with a lab strain from Bakersfield, CA. Collections were made from 13 different sites within and outside of the mosquito abatement area. Resistance levels by year and early vs. late season were examined and median lethal time values and 95% confidence intervals were compared with the lab strain. Mosquitoes collected in 2005 were more resistant to permethrin than either the lab strain or mosquitoes collected in 2006. Glutathione S-transferase levels recorded in 2005 were 9–12× higher than either the lab strain or 2006 mosquitoes; activity of mixed-function oxidases was also greater. Both mechanisms may play a role in permethrin resistance or reflect nontarget exposure to other pesticides in Cx. tarsalis in northeastern Colorado.

A mosquito larval–pupal survey was conducted in 1,160 households of the Mexican city of Mérida during the rainy season of 2003 to determine their differential productivity for Aedes aegypti. Larvae and pupae were detected in 15 broad categories of container types. All breeding sites were found in the patios (backyards) and were potentially rain filled. Ae. aegypti pupae were produced from all categories of breeding site, and no single container type was predominately responsible for pupal production. The most productive buckets comprised 42% of the pupae-positive containers and provided 34% of the total pupae collected. Pupal production in buckets, together with plastic rubbish, pet dishes and basins, utensils for cooking and washing, tires, and flowerpots, accounted for almost 87% of pupal production. However, the most important pupal producers had low infestation indices for immature forms, illustrating that the use of positive-container indices can underestimate the importance of certain breeding sites. Overall, 40% of containers that were observed harboring Ae. aegypti pupae were classified as disposable. The remaining containers were considered useful, although some were seldom used. The discussion focuses on the potential utility of the pupal survey for targeting control, and its resulting pupae-per-person entomological indicator, both for comparison with a theoretical threshold for dengue transmission and for targeting vector control in this Mexican city.

The oriental eye fly Siphunculina funicola, a small member (1.5–1.6 mm) of the family Chloropidae, is extremely annoying to humans and domestic animals, feeding on mucous membranes, secretions, and other moist surfaces of their hosts. In central Thailand heavy populations were detected during 2006–2007 in some rural, agricultural, and periurban areas of the region. They were noted to exhibit strong synanthropy and aggregation behavior, congregating on thin (1–5 mm diam) substrates hanging in or near human habitations and animal shelters and other structures open on one or more sides. We initiated studies on the repelling and control of this eye fly at their aggregation sites, the most vulnerable targets near or in human habitations. Four formulations of repellents consisting of Everside, 3 fatty acids (with 8, 9, and 10 carbons), permethrin, and the acids C8910 plus permethrin in Everside were diluted 1:3 in tap water and sprayed on to the aggregation sites. Prior to treatment all sites including controls were disturbed to dislodge eye flies, and then the blank sites were sprayed with the aqueous suspension of the repellents. Additionally, we evaluated 3 commercially available household insecticidal aerosol formulations by treating eye flies and their resting sites (without dislodging the flies) with puffs of the aerosols. Two treatments with permethrin alone and permethrin plus acids in Nakhorn Ratchasima Province caused a complete absence of flies from the sites up to 23 h. After treatment with the repellents, the repelled flies and others were found to congregate on untreated favorable sites close to the treated ones. The repellents tested against eye flies in Chonburi Province at 2 locations caused almost complete absence of this insect on aggregation sites up to 120 h. Three household insecticide aerosols applied to aggregation sites with resting and hovering eye flies produced high to complete mortality and reduction of eye flies for 48 h or possibly longer in the treated sites. This is the first time that procedures for the evaluation of repellents and insecticides against eye flies have been tested and developed. The use of commonly available insecticide aerosol products could provide a good source of materials for the elimination of eye flies from their domestic and peridomestic aggregation sites.

Sexual separation at the larval stage in anopheline mosquitoes with the naked eye is difficult. We have identified distinguishing spots visible to the naked eye on the 6th abdominal segment of 3rd and 4th instars of Anopheles stephensi, An. culicifacies, and An. subpictus. Based on this feature, male and female larvae can be differentiated morphologically at 3rd and 4th instars of these species. This is the first report on these characteristic spots that may have a wide application for larval sexing in mosquito taxonomy, physiology, toxicology, genetics, and control.

Testing field-caught mosquito collections can result in thousands of pools, and testing pools of 50 mosquitoes each can be both time consuming and cost prohibitive. Consequently, we have developed an alternative approach to testing mosquito pools for arboviruses, utilizing a superpool strategy. When mosquito samples are processed for extraction of viral RNA and subsequent virus testing via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, each pool is tested individually. Using the method described here, 0.025 ml from each of 10 pools is combined into a superpool for RNA extraction and testing. When a virus-positive superpool sample is found, each of the original 10 pools that constitute this sample is tested individually in order to find the specific positive sample. By retesting the original samples after the initial superpool screen, we are still able to obtain reliable estimates for minimum infection rates or maximum likelihood estimations. To test this principle, we created controlled mosquito pools of known titer and subjected them to our superpool process. We were able to detect our entire range of laboratory-created pools as being West Nile virus (WNV) positive. In 2005, field surveillance efforts from our laboratory resulted in over 4,000 mosquito pools tested, with 8 resulting WNV-positive samples. We found that all of these field samples were detected as WNV positive using the superpool method and contained calculated virus titers from <0.1 to 4.1 log₁₀ plaque-forming units/ml WNV, indicating that the limit of superpool detection of WNV is below this point. These results reveal that the superpool method could be accurately used to detect WNV in field-collected specimens.

A root extract of Valeriana jatamansi (code BAL-O) exhibited larvicidal and adulticidal activity against different mosquito species. The median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of BAL-O against larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles culicifacies, Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus were 68.1, 42.8, 51.2, 53.8, and 80.6 mg/liter, respectively. The LC₅₀ and the 90% lethal concentration against adult An. stephensi, An. culicifacies, Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus were 0.14, 0.16, 0.09, 0.08, and 0.17 and 0.24, 0.34, 0.25, 0.21, and 0.28 mg/cm², respectively. The median knock-down time and 90% knock-down time of the fraction were 13, 13, 12, 13, and 18 and 24, 25, 21, 20, and 42 min against An. stephensi, An. culicifacies, Ae. aegypti, An. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively, using 0.28 mg/cm² impregnated papers. The median effective time and 90% effective time against An. stephensi at 4°C were 46.6 and 8.7 days, and at 29°C, 25.5 and 5.6 days, respectively. Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis of BAL-O showed 2-butanone,4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl) (10.11%), patchouli alcohol (8.55%), cubenol (5.97%), caryophyllene oxide (5.46%), cadinol (5.23%), and aristolene (5.19%).

The efficacy of the recently developed BG-Sentinel™ mosquito trap baited with BG-Lure (a combination of lactic acid, ammonia, and caproic acid) was evaluated in American Samoa against the omnidirectional Fay–Prince trap and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light trap, both baited with carbon dioxide. The BG-Sentinel trap captured the greatest number of the important filariasis and dengue vector Aedes (Stegomyia) polynesiensis at all 3 collection locations; however, its catch rate was not significantly different from that of the Fay–Prince trap at 2 of the 3 trapping locations. The CDC light trap caught very few Ae. polynesiensis. The Fay–Prince trap was more efficient than the other 2 traps for collecting Aedes (Aedimorphus) nocturnus, Aedes (Finlaya) spp., Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex annulirostris. The efficacy and convenience of the BG-Sentinel suggest further research is warranted to evaluate its potential as a possible efficient and safe alternative to landing catches for sampling Ae. polynesiensis in research and control efforts against filariasis and dengue in the South Pacific.

Ivermectin was evaluated as a potential rodent feed-through for the control of immature stages of Phlebotomus papatasi. The survival of sand fly larvae fed feces of Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) that had been fed a diet containing 0, 2, 6, 10, 20, 60, or 100 ppm ivermectin was measured. Sand fly larvae fed the feces of ivermectin-treated hamsters had significantly reduced survival, with 100% mortality of larvae fed feces of hamsters fed a diet containing 20, 60, and 100 ppm ivermectin. The results of this study suggest that a control strategy using rodent baits containing ivermectin to control phlebotomine sand flies may be possible. Because rodent reservoirs and sand fly vectors of Leishmania major live in close association in many parts of the Middle East, the control of transmission of the agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis also may be possible.

Post–Hurricane Rita mosquito surveillance was carried out in 4 east Texas counties to determine mosquito abundance, species composition, and need for mosquito control. Subsequently, aerial applications of naled (Dibrom®) for mosquito control were made by the Air Force Aerial Spray Flight, while continued surveillance documented the efficacy of the applications. Psorophora columbiae was the predominant species in landing counts. Twenty-two mosquito species were represented in light trap collections with Aedes atlanitcus/tormentor, Culex nigripalpus, Ae. vexans, and Ps. columbiae making up 91% of the total. A total of 102,001 ha (252,052 acres) were aerially treated based on high mosquito abundance, exposure of first responders and residents to nuisance biting, and local interruption of electric utilities. A significant 90% decline in mosquito abundance was observed posttreatment.

In a climate of increased funding for vaccines, chemotherapy, and prevention of vector-borne diseases, fewer resources have been directed toward improving disease and vector surveillance. Recently developed light-emitting diode (LED) technology was applied to standard insect-vector traps to produce a more effective lighting system. This approach improved phlebotomine sand fly capture rates by 50%, and simultaneously reduced the energy consumption by 50–60%. The LEDs were incorporated into 2 lighting designs, 1) a LED combination bulb for current light traps and 2) a chip-based LED design for a modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light trap. Detailed descriptions of the 2 designs are presented.