New Zealand's northern mosquito survey, 1988-89

The latest mosquito survey of the warmer regions of New Zealand (NZ) sampled 2,304 larval mosquito habitats of all major categories. While revealing no evidence of new establishments of exotic mosquitoes, it produced important data revealing the underutilization of types of habitats that could be invaded now or in the future (especially if the "greenhouse effect" eventually causes even quite small rises in average temperatures and sea levels). Although long feared additions of malaria vectors to a fauna still lacking any species of Anopheles, or of essentially tropical arbovirus vectors from neighboring countries to the north and northeast, may not materialize failing climatic amelioration, a new danger appeared at the beginning of the 1988-89 Northern Mosquito Survey when Aedes albopictus was reported for the first time from Fiji. This vector of dengue hemorrhagic fever and Ross River virus has since been spreading widely on the archipelago's main island, Viti Levu, whence much air and sea traffic reaches NZ. Information presented and discussed herein strongly supports the continuance and improvement of international aircraft disinsection and other insect quarantine measures.