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Establishment of Culex (Melanoconion) erraticus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern Ontario, Canada
F F Hunter1, J Causarano2, A Gasparotto3
1Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Ave., St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1. Centre for Biotechnology, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Ave, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1. Entomogen Inc., 6 Clark St., St. Catharines ON L2R 5G2. fhunter@brocku.ca.
Abstract:
Culex (Melanoconion) erraticus (Dyar and Knab) is now established in southern Ontario, Canada. This species was first discovered in 2002 during a province-wide adult mosquito surveillance program for West Nile virus. Using CO2-baited CDC miniature light traps, a few Cx. erraticus were collected from 2002 to 2011, but the total number increased during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The number of Ontario Public Health Units with records for Cx. erraticus has also increased since 2002, demonstrating that the geographic distribution of this species is expanding northward. Cx. erraticus is a potential arboviral bridge vector for a number of pathogens and its establishment in Ontario should be considered a potential public health concern.
