Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association (2021) 36, 257-260

Ivo Rudolf, Silvie Sikutová, Oldrich Sebesta, Jan Mendel, Igor Malenovsky, Helge Kampen, Jolyon Medlock and Francis Schaffner (2021)
Overwintering of Culex modestus and other mosquito species in a reedbed ecosystem, including arbovirus findings
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 36 (4), 257-260
Abstract: The overwintering strategy of the mosquito Culex modestus, an important West Nile virus (WNV) vector in Europe, was explored under field conditions in reedbed (Phragmites australis) ecosystems in early 2019. A total of 30 Cx. modestus females were found in a BG-Sentinel trap placed in a plastic greenhouse as well as in a reference BG-Sentinel trap placed under the open sky, both set up within the reedbeds and inspected every 2–3 days from February 27 to April 10, 2019. Moreover, 186 females of Cx. pipiens, 3 females of Anopheles hyrcanus, and 3 females of Culiseta annulata were trapped in the monitored time span. While all Cx. modestus females tested negative for the presence of WNV and other arboviruses circulating in Central Europe, we confirmed WNV lineage 2 and Tahyna virus infection in several pools of the collected Cx. pipiens, demonstrating arbovirus overwintering. This pilot study highlights the need for large-scale monitoring activities covering different regions to identify the overwintering strategy of both mosquito-borne viruses and their vectors in Central Europe.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Helge Kampen, Francis Schaffner

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culex modestus		Czech Republic