We investigated the abundance and distribution of and mosquitoes in urban parks in the eastern zone of the city of São Paulo, where the highest number of autochthonous dengue cases during the major 2015-2016 epidemic was reported. The association of climatic and environmental factors with the spatiotemporal distribution of species in relation to vegetation cover and human proximity was examined. Twelve geo-referenced ovitraps were randomly installed in each park, covering areas with varying degrees of vegetation and human activity from September, 2018 to February, 2020, during three weeks each season. A total of 57,604 or eggs were collected, identifying 10,228 and 23,764 larvae. Seasonal variations showed distinct patterns with higher mosquito abundances during warmer and rainier seasons. The association between abundance and climatic factors was more evident at the level of the aedini assemblies than at the level of the local populations. was predominantly found in peripheral and transitional areas with higher human activity during rainy and warmer seasons. In contrast, thrived in inner park areas with greater vegetation cover and lower human activity during drier and milder seasons. The abundance of and was influenced by climatic factors and park-specific microhabitats. These findings underscore the importance of targeted vector control strategies in urban park settings during seasons favorable for mosquito reproduction. Understanding the interaction between ecological factors and these mosquitoes in urban environments is critical for effective public health interventions.

This field study describes the abundance of ticks and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in two hiking areas, Stebbins Cold Canyon (SCC) and Skyline Wilderness Park (SKY), in northern California. These areas have experienced extreme weather events, including wildfire, drought, and heavy rainfall, which have changed the environment. Questing ticks were collected over nine months, identified to species, and screened for tick-borne pathogens using qPCR. Four hundred and fifty-nine ticks were collected, including 54 adults from SCC and 405 from SKY, consisting of 279 (68.9%) larvae, 2 (0.5%) nymphs, and 124 (30.6%) adults. At SCC, and accounted for 92.6% (50/54) and 7.4% (4/54), respectively. At SKY, (16.8%, 68/405), (12.3%, 50/405), (0.7%, 3/405), and D. (70.4%, 285/405) were collected. Overall, the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens was low in the collected ticks. i sl (0.8%, 1/121) and (1.7%, 2/121) were found at SKY. was identified at SCC and SKY with a prevalence of 3.7% (2/54) and 1.7% (2/121), respectively. was identified in 3.7% (2/54) and 1.2% (5/405) of ticks at SCC and SKY, respectively. These findings suggest that multiple tick species can withstand extreme weather events, providing further data regarding the effects of weather extremes and climate change on tick populations and pathogen prevalence. This study is one of the first to report in ticks in California, particularly in Solano County.

The CDC light trap with incandescent light is the most commonly used method for conducting sand fly surveillance. However, new trap models that use LED lights might provide a more cost-effective alternative. This study compared the efficacy of a modified commercial Katchy light trap with two CDC light trap models in capturing sand flies in the Amazonian rainforest of Peru. Using a 3 x 3 randomized Latin square design, the light traps were compared based on phlebotomine sand fly species total abundance, species richness, sex-specific collections, and efficiency in capturing potential vector species. A total of 1,184 sand flies were collected, representing nine genera and 25 species, including three species that had not been previously reported in the Cusco department. Significant differences in sand fly collections based on trap type were found, with the modified Katchy light trap capturing significantly higher total abundance and species richness compared to CDC light traps. This pattern held for both female and male sand flies, with the modified Katchy trap also collecting more potential vector species in terms of both abundance and species richness, although differences in potential vector species richness were only significant compared to the incandescent CDC light trap. These results suggest that the modified Katchy trap is a viable, cost-effective alternative for sand fly surveillance, offering potential improvements in leishmaniasis vector monitoring.

The increasing prevalence of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes necessitates development of alternative control methods. This study evaluated adulticidal efficacy of essential oils from , , and against laboratory and field populations of and . Discriminating concentrations (DCs) were established using WHO tube tests. showed the lowest DCs (6.21% v/v for , 9.68% v/v for ), followed by (9.70%, 15.55%) and (19.40%, 24.33%). At these DCs, all oils demonstrated 98-100% knockdown and 99-100% mortality against field populations. required higher DCs than , suggesting species-specific susceptibility differences. Essential oils showed superior efficacy against field-collected compared to cypermethrin. Results indicate potential of these oils as effective botanical insecticides, particularly where conventional insecticide resistance occurs.

We investigated the association between water physicochemical parameters and polarized light patterns with mosquito oviposition in central coast urban areas of Peru. Water samples from diverse locations were analyzed, assessing key parameters, including conductivity, total dissolved solids, hardness, pH, alkalinity, phosphate, and nitrate levels. Principal component analysis revealed that conductivity, total dissolved solids, and hardness were significantly associated with the presence of mosquito oviposition. These findings were corroborated by generalized linear mixed models, which highlighted location-specific effects and seasonal variations in physicochemical parameters associated with oviposition. Our study also explored polarized light as a potential oviposition cue. While a direct causal link between polarized light patterns and oviposition requires further investigation, a positive correlation between pH levels and circularly polarized light patterns suggests a potential interaction between water chemistry and this optical cue. These findings underscore the complex interplay of environmental factors associated with mosquito oviposition. Our results suggest an association between physicochemical cues, particularly conductivity, total dissolved solids, and hardness, and the presence of mosquito oviposition, with polarized light potentially playing a role.

Knowledge of the utilization by mosquito species of different habitats is critical for determining risk for the transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens. The Great Plains region of the United States is experiencing a biome-level change as grasslands are being converted to forests through the process of woody plant encroachment by eastern redcedar (ERC). There is a need to evaluate how mosquitoes respond to fine scale habitat characteristics within areas experiencing ERC encroachment. This study examined the influence of fine-scale vegetation differences on mosquito abundance, bloodmeal hosts, and infection with West Nile virus (WNV) in eight ERC-encroached sites across Oklahoma. Mosquito traps were placed in three unique habitats in ERC-encroached sites. , , , and were most abundant in the ecotone and/or forested areas of ERC trees compared with grass. was more abundant in grassland than in forest. Blood meal analysis indicated that mosquitoes fed primarily on mammals, and we detected species in several blood meals. These results suggest that important mosquito vectors may occur throughout much of ERC-encroached areas, a finding that has consequences for blood meal acquisition, pathogen transmission, and thus public health and land management programs throughout the Great Plains.

The stridulation in the subfamily Triatominae has been identified as a means of communication between species, produced by the friction of the proboscis on the prosternal stridulatory groove. Despite its biological significance, this phenomenon remains understudied, with the signal's production seemingly contingent upon the morphology of the stridulatory groove. In this study, we examined the morphology of stridulatory grooves in females and males of five species and two subspecies of Mexican triatomines using morphometric and scanning electron microscopical analysis. Our findings reveal that all analyzed species exhibit triangular-shaped stridulatory grooves with parallel ridges covering the entire groove, bordered on each side, and covered with setae. Surprisingly, we observed noticeable differences in the number of ridges and inter-ridge distance between the species and ( 0.001 and 0.009, respectively), indicating sexual dimorphism in this aspect, a phenomenon not previously reported in the morphology of this structure. Our findings shed light on the intricate morphology of the stridulatory groove in Mexican triatomines, suggesting potential implications for their behavior and intra-specific communication.

Murine typhus, caused by , is re-emerging in many parts of the world. The disease is also called endemic typhus to differentiate from epidemic typhus (caused by ), and sometimes also named flea-borne typhus. Occasionally, literature sources will include as a causative agent of flea-borne typhus, but illnesses caused by are actually flea-borne spotted fever. Murine typhus occurs in warm, coastal areas worldwide. In the United States, most cases are reported from California, Texas, and Hawaii. Murine typhus is usually a self-limited febrile illness but about one-quarter of patients suffer organ complications. The disease is only infrequently fatal. Regarding disease ecology, the historical paradigm is that rats ( and ) are reservoirs of worldwide, with rat fleas () as primary vectors. More recently, researchers have proposed an alternative suburban murine typhus transmission cycle involving opossums, cat fleas, cats, and dogs in Texas, California, and rural Mexico. Because cat fleas feed on a variety of mammals, there may be other avenues for transmission, including stray or feral cats bringing cat fleas and other infected fleas into proximity with humans and possible aerosolization of infected flea feces. Additional fleas, ticks, lice, and mites may play a role in various areas throughout the world, but a striking lack of fundamental research on this topic makes drawing conclusions difficult. This review provides an overview of the history, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of murine typhus, with special emphasis on its disease ecology.

Ticks and tick-borne diseases are of increasing concern in the United States, and understanding tick behavior could be crucial to limiting the exposure of humans and other animals to ticks. Here, we wanted to understand the drivers of questing and burrowing in and . We used a factorial design to assess the effects of substrate (sand, soil, and rock), temperature (16° and 22° C), tick species ( and ), and competition (homogenous or heterogenous mixture of ticks in the arena) on tick behavior in laboratory arenas. Questing varied significantly between tick species, with 61% of questing compared to 35% of . Substrate similarly affected questing, with most ticks questing in the arenas with sand (83%) compared to arenas with rock (35%) or soil (25%). Burrowing behavior was also influenced by substrate; every tick in the arenas with rock (100%) and nearly all in the arenas with soil (98%) exhibited burrowing, whereas only 10% burrowed in sand. traveled longer distances than (23 ± 2.8 cm vs 9.7 ± 2.3 cm). The disparity in laboratory behavior between sand and rock/soil substrates might warrant further consideration in a field setting, as understanding factors that inhibit host-seeking behaviors of ticks can inform management of public spaces and potentially help mitigate tick-exposure.

Wingbeat frequency may serve as a distinctive physical signature for identifying mosquito species. However, variation in wingbeat frequency within species may compromise reliability of wingbeat frequency-based mosquito identification. We examined the impact of mosquito density (number of females), time of day (day or night), gravid status, and age (days post-emergence) on the wingbeat frequency of three important vector mosquito species using infrared optical sensors. Wingbeat frequency of was significantly higher (6.2% and 9.5%) for single females compared to groups of five and ten females, respectively, and 9.4% higher during the daytime compared to nighttime. Wingbeat frequency was also significantly higher for gravid (9.4%) and (1.4%) than nongravid conspecifics. Within a short age range (five to seven days post-emergence), wingbeat in did not vary significantly. Our results highlight that both extrinsic (density and time of day) and intrinsic (gravid status) factors contribute to wingbeat variation, potentially posing challenges for development of wingbeat profile libraries and the classification of unknown specimens. Traps that aim to use wingbeat frequency and target specific cohorts of the population (i.e., host-seeking or gravid females) will need to account for differences in wingbeat frequency due to multiple factors.

Spatial and temporal differences in the relative abundance of arthropod vectors are important factors that influence the risk of disease for mammalian hosts. Seasonal changes in the diversity and abundance of fleas (Siphonaptera) in Richardson's ground squirrel () burrows were studied at two sites in central Saskatchewan. A total of 225 fleas (151 at an urban site and 74 at a rural site) were collected. Flea prevalence differed among seasons at the urban site but not at the rural site. Of the nine flea species detected (eight at the urban site and six at the rural site), , , , and are vectors of , the causative agent of plague. The presence and abundance of some fleas differed between sites and seasons. and were the most abundant species at the urban site during the spring and summer, respectively, while was the most abundant species at the rural site. Our findings may have implications for the management of the black-tailed prairie dogs () in southwestern Saskatchewan because they coexist with , are hosts for , and are at great risk of plague exposure/infection.

This study examined the presence and characteristics of microplastics (MPs) in water collected from potential mosquito oviposition habitats in Lubbock, TX. Water samples ranging from 10 to 1000 mL were collected from 36 suspected artificial and natural oviposition habitats, and sites were categorized as artificial containers, tires, or natural sites. Samples were filtered through a series of stainless-steel sieves and isopore membrane filters, and MPs were imaged and counted using a stereo microscope. MPs were classified by shape into fragments, fibers, films, spheres, and foams. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)were employed to characterize the size, morphology, and polymer type of MPs collected from a subset of oviposition habitats. Results suggest MPs are commonly found in artificial containers and tires, and at higher concentrations than natural sites. Furthermore, MPs found in all potential oviposition sites were predominantly fragments and fibers. SEM analysis revealed diverse morphologies and indicated potential microbial colonization on MP surfaces. Ultimately, this study provides insights into the distribution and characteristics of MPs in mosquito oviposition habitats, highlighting the potential impact of MP pollution and the potential effects on mosquito biology, and serves as a foundation for further research on the ecological implications of MPs in mosquito oviposition habitats.

Human cases of arboviral disease transmitted by mosquitoes are increasing worldwide and spreading to new areas of the United States. These diseases continue to re-emerge, likely due to changes in vector ecology, urbanization, human migration, and larger range of climatic suitability. Recent shifts in landscape and weather variables are predicted to impact the habitat patterns of urban mosquitoes such as and . Miami, FL is in the tropical zone, while Charleston, SC is in the humid subtropical zone, and both cities are established hotspots for arboviruses. We applied remote sensing with land-use cover and weather variation to identify mosquito infestation patterns. We detected statistically significant positive and negative associations between entomological indicators and most weather variables in combined data from both cities. For all entomological indices, weekly wind speed and relative humidity were significantly positively associated, while precipitation and maximum temperature were significantly negatively associated. egg abundance was significantly positively associated with open land in Charleston but was negatively associated with vegetation cover in combined data.

The Capivari-Monos Environmental Protection Area (EPA) is located in the southern part of the São Paulo city Green Belt. Since the 1950s, this region has been affected by uncontrolled urban sprawl, resulting in a change in the ecological habits of some vector mosquitoes. Over the last two decades, cases of autochthonous bromeliad malaria associated with the presence of anopheline mosquitoes in the EPA have been recorded. the primary vector of plasmodia in the region, is abundant and found naturally infected with both and In light of this, the present study sought to update the catalog of mosquito fauna in this EPA, analyze mosquito diversity among sites with different degrees of conservation and compare species using different collection techniques. Field collections were carried out from March, 2015 to April, 2017. A total of 20,755 specimens were collected, distributed in 106 different taxa representing 16 genera. Analysis of the diversity among the sites based on the Shannon and Simpson indices showed that the most preserved of them had the lowest indices because of the dominance of . The results highlight the increase in the number of different taxa collected as different mosquito collection techniques were included, confirming the importance of using several strategies to ensure adequate sampling of a local mosquito fauna when exploring a greater number of ecotopes. Furthermore, the survey produced the most recent and complete list of mosquito species in the Capivari-Monos EPA, a refuge and shelter for native and introduced mosquito species where new biocenoses, including pathogens, vertebrate hosts, and vectors can form, allowing zoonotic outbreaks in the local human population to occur.

salivary gland hypertrophy virus (MdSGHV) affects house flies by enlarging salivary glands, impeding ovary development in females, and mating behavior in both males and females. It is not known if this virus impacts the quantity of saliva produced by house flies. This study aimed to establish baseline saliva quantities in healthy across sexes and ages and examine how MdSGHV infection influences saliva output in 5-day-old males. Results reveal that healthy female produce more saliva on average than males and that saliva production among both sexes decreases with age. A comparison of infected, PBS-injected, and healthy flies shows significantly higher saliva quantities in infected individuals, suggesting MdSGHV enhances saliva production to improve transmission. These findings provide insights into MdSGHV transmission dynamics, which may provide for a better understanding of how other vector-borne diseases like Zika and Dengue virus interact in the infected salivary glands of the host vector.