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1 March 2007 Early Evening Questing and Oviposition Activity by the Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) Vectors of West Nile Virus in Northeastern North America
Michael R. Reddy, Timothy J. Lepore, Richard J. Pollack, Anthony E. Kiszewski, Andrew Spielman, Paul Reiter
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Abstract

To determine whether the Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) in the northeastern United States seek hosts and oviposit contemporaneously, we recorded when these mosquitoes attacked caged birds and when they deposited eggs. They traversed oviposition sites most frequently ≈2 h after astronomical sunset, and eggs generally were deposited at that time. Although they most frequently approached avian hosts ≈2 h after sunset during midsummer, they are more opportunistic during mid- to late fall. Because the Culex mosquitoes that serve as the main vectors of West Nile virus in the northeastern United States quest for hosts and seek to oviposit well after sunset, insecticidal aerosols would be most effective when applied at that time.

Michael R. Reddy, Timothy J. Lepore, Richard J. Pollack, Anthony E. Kiszewski, Andrew Spielman, and Paul Reiter "Early Evening Questing and Oviposition Activity by the Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) Vectors of West Nile Virus in Northeastern North America," Journal of Medical Entomology 44(2), 211-214, (1 March 2007). https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-2585(2007)44[211:EEQAOA]2.0.CO;2
Received: 26 March 2006; Accepted: 31 October 2006; Published: 1 March 2007
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KEYWORDS
Culex
diel periodicity
host seeking
oviposition
West Nile virus
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