Mosquitoes in Neston, Cheshire

Michael Clarkson, Mike Service and Cathy

GloverNational Centre for Zoonosis

Research, Liverpool Veterinary School

We are grateful to many staff atLeahurst and their families whocollected mosquitoes foridentification, often involving pain!

We thank the following for help and advice:Malcolm BennettTom HendersonChristian SetzkornStaff of the EnvironmentalProtection Unit, Ellesmere Portand Neston Borough Council

Many complaints of mosquito bites in the Neston area were received by the Local Authority in 2005 and 2006

Leahurst

River Dee tidal marsh

1 km

Dee marshes at Parkgate, Neston looking towards Wales

These tidal marshes are an internationally recognised site , being both an SSSI and an EU Special Area of Conservation They are also an excellent breeding site for Aedes detritus

Surveys were done in 2007 and 2008 by two methods – traps in gardens and mosquitoes collected by Leahurst staff recruited from our email list

The Local Authority placed traps in residents’ gardens and sixth form students at the local comprehensive school had traps in their gardens. Three different types of trap were used

Although the traps were useful for public relations, the mosquitoes collected by staff were in better condition, more numerous and more widely distributed geographically

CDC light-trap

BG-Sentinel trap

Midg-it trap

Type of Trap

Aedes detritus

Culex pipiens

Culiseta annulata

CDC light- trap

12 61 3

BG trap, no CO2

0 56 5

BG trap with CO2

150 40 5

Midg-it trap

95 28 3

Estimate of relative efficiency of traps

Map showing distribution of 3 species caught

Culex pipiens group in United Kingdom consists of three species which cannot be distinguished morphologically.

Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium feed only on birds.

Culex pipiens group mosquitoes transmit West Nile Virus in Europe and USA

Culex molestus bites mammals including humans and also occasionally birds.

Molecular methods for differentiating these species are being developed.

Mol wt markers

Mol wt markers

Cx pipiens

Ae detritus

310

194

A PCR technique described by US workers has been used to distinguish Cx pipiens group mosquitoes

These studies suggest that our mosquitoes are Cx pipiens s.s.

Cx molestus