Assessment of overwintering and local reproduction conditions of the epidemiologically dangerous mosquito species Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in south of Ukraine

Abstract

The rapid spread of Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) is a global medical concern due to its ability to carry more than 30 pathogens. Global climate change contributes to the potential expansion of the range of the tropical species in the temperate climate zones of Europe, and anthropogenic changes in the environment are key socio-economic factors for the spread of Ae. albopictus. This study aims to clarify the issue of possible overwintering and establishment of populations of the invasive species Ae. albopictus, which were discovered in 2023 in the Odesa city. Methods: During the spring and the first half of the summer periods of 2024, an entomological monitoring survey of the territory of the Odesa city and its surroundings was carried out. Special attention is paid to city cemeteries. Mosquito adults were caught using test tubes. Mosquito larvae were collected with a pipette in artificial biotopes. The determination of the species was carried out according to the morphological features given in the relevant entomological determinants. Results: The stable reproducible populations of the species Ae. albopictus were detected, both in the previous locations (for 2023) and in new locations in the Odessa city, in the absence of meteorological winter in the region, indicating the establishment and successful overwintering of this mosquito species in the conditions of Southern Ukraine. Cemeteries play a special role in establishing breeding and wintering populations of the species. The mild winter conditions of the Southern Ukraine, combined with active migration and transport flows within the research region, threatens the further spread of this epidemiologically dangerous vector.