Mosquito species composition, phenology and distribution (Diptera Culicidae) on Prince Edward Island

Recent concerns about the spread of the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus (WNV) through North America
have prompted a number of regional studies of mosquito species composition and distribution. In this study, we report
on intensive surveys of mosquitoes on Prince Edward Island (PEI). Larvae were collected by sampling standing water
habitats (ponds, ditches, puddles, containers) along roadsides throughout the province, using a 0.5L dipper. Adults were
collected through a combination of larval rearing, light trapping, and conducting landing surveys. Results of the study
nearly doubled the known species numbers for the province from 18 to 32, and yielded information on larval habitats and
adult flight periods. The different collection methods yielded very different results, indicating the importance of combining
sampling methods to conduct a full species survey. For example, three species collected as adults were not collected as
larvae, and four were collected only as larvae. Eleven species dominated the Island-wide fauna, including the salt marsh
mosquitoes (Ochlerotatus cantator and Oc. sollicitans) which made up about half of the mosquitoes collected and were
among the most aggressive biters. Twenty-two of the 32 species were attracted to humans with five (Oc. abseratus/punctor,
Oc. cantator, Oc. sollicitans, Oc. stimulans, and Coquillettidia perturbans) making up ~80% of those that landed and
attempted to bite. The Culex species (Cx. pipians and Cx. restuans) that have been identified as important enzootic vectors
of WNV are reported on PEI for the first time, but their abundance is relatively low suggesting a low risk of WNV on PEI.