26 - Diversity and Abundance of Invasive Aedes albopictus, Other Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), and Arthropods in North Georgia.

Abstract

Diversity and Abundance of Invasive Aedes albopictus, Other Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), and Arthropods in North Georgia.

Carlisle M., Embrick M., Lampert E., Sangweme D.

With the increase in invasive species and the increasing numbers of the invasive Culicidae family member Aedes albopictus and the numerous deadly diseases Aedes albopictus can vector, it becomes increasingly important to survey and keep records of local populations and diversity of mosquitoes. We surveyed local culicid populations dissecting the female mosquitoes looking for nematodes to search for Wolbachia, and preserving all the bycatch and using the bycatch as an insight into the population and diversity of other arthropods in the local area. With a total of eight traps two of which were purchased Sentinel traps, the other six built homemade Gravid traps. These traps were placed on university of North Georgia Gainesville property, where they were used to capture and then we observed every weekday morning from May 29th to August 10th. The traps were placed by one building and by one pond. A total of 35 mosquitoes were captured in the ten weeks 13 of which were Aedes albopictus, and 7 of which were Aedes vexans. We collected a large number of collembolans starting off on June 5th, spiking with 146 individuals caught and collected on June 8th, lowering to a few per day on June 29th, and none to intermittent amounts after July 24th. Further research is planned to see if there was any Wolbachia within the filarial nematodes found within the female mosquitoes we captured.

Keywords: Collembola, Piedmont, Hall County, Aedes vexans, University of North Georgia.