Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Lower Dyje River Basin (Podyjí) at the Czech-Austrian border

Abstract

Abstract During 2009–2011, mosquitoes were captured in CDC miniature light traps using CO2 (dry ice) at six sites in the Lower Dyje River Basin (Czech Republic). Other methods of capture — sweeping from vegetation and collection of larvae and pupae from ponds — were also used for more precise diagnostics. Thirty mosquito species of six genera were confirmed. A total of 415,218 females were captured. Most frequently found were the outbreak species Aedes vexans (56.52% of all mosquitoes collected) and Ae. sticticus (16.40%). Among other flood species, Ae. rossicus (5.17%), Ae. cantans and Ae. annulipes (2.44% of all females collected), and Ae. cinereus s. l. (1.11%) were especially abundant. Females of Ae. cataphylla were captured in spring (0.31%) and Ae. intrudens was numerous only at one site. Among the other species, Culex pipiens s. l. (6.61%) and Cx. modestus (8.87%) were abundant. Anopheles maculipennis s. l. (1.01%), An. claviger (0.43%), An. plumbeus (0.08%), An. hyrcanus (0.08%), Coquillettidia richiardii (0.52%) and Culiseta annulata (0.18%) were also detected. Sparsely occurring were Ae. excrucians, Ae. flavescens, Ae. caspius and Ae. geniculatus. Captured only very sporadically were Ae. communis, Ae. leucomelas, Ae. dorsalis, Ae. rusticus, Cx. martinii, Cx. territans, Cs. morsitans and Uranotaenia unguiculata.