The presence of white eggs in the monitoring of Aedes albopictus ( Diptera: Culicidae) by ovitraps. Issue 2 (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Drago, Andrea; Martini, Simone; Vettorato, Christian; Pombi, Marco; Dutto, Moreno
• Is Part Of: Journal of vector ecology. Volume 38:Issue 2(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 326
• Page End: 329
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: Arthropod vectors -- Ecology -- Periodicals; Animals as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; Animal ecology -- Periodicals; Host-parasite relationships -- Periodicals; Pests -- Control -- Periodicals; 571.986
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1948-7134.2013.12047.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1081-1710

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>Using international trading and passive transportation routes, the Asian tiger mosquito, <italic>Aedes albopictus</italic> (Skuse, 1894), has colonized Europe. While the most common tool to monitor the presence of the mosquito is the ovitrap, other kinds of eggs are occasionally found in the traps as well. Most of the eggs are easy to distinguish, however, some white‐yellow eggs have a similar shape and size to those of the tiger mosquito and are often falsely identified as freshly laid tiger mosquito eggs. We have shown that these eggs had been laid by <italic>Psychoda alternata</italic> Say, 1824, and the misinterpretation may cause large errors in calculating density and patterns of <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic>. To avoid mistakes, a microscopic observation should be done at least 48 h after collecting the sample to permit <italic>Ae. albopictus</italic> eggs to darken.</p> </abstract>