Monitoring of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera, Culicidae) in the city of Catania (Italy): seasonal dynamics and habitat preferences

Abstract

Estimated seasonal abundance of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) (Diptera, Culicidae) in the municipality of Catania (eastern Sicily, Italy) is provided and discussed. A monitoring campaign was carried out in urban and suburban sectors of the city during the autumn of 2007 and all of 2008 and 2013. Populations of the mosquito were surveyed weekly with standard ovitraps as a tool for estimating its population density. Analysis of the distributional data, seasonal occurrence, habitat preferences, and egg-laying intensity of the mosquito is provided.

Keywords

• Asian tiger mosquito
• invasive mosquito
• eggs density
• Mediterranean region