Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ochlerotatus sollicitans (Walker)
Orig. Comb: Culex sollicitans Walker, 1856
Syn: Aedes (Ochlerotatus) sollicitans (Walker)
Identification
- pale band across middle of proboscis - FMEL
- sides of thorax covered with many white scales - FMEL
(adult female) Proboscis is dark-scaled and with white band near middle. Palpi are short and dark with a few white scales at the tips. First tergite has a median patch of yellowish-white scales; other tergites dark, each white laterally, pale yellow basally and medially. Venter whitish to pale-yellow scaled, speckled with dark scales. Femora and Tibiae are dark and liberally speckled with pale scales; posterior surface pale, knee spots white. Hind Tarsus with segment 1 ringed with white base and with a yellow ring at middle, segments 2 to 4 with broad white based rings, and segment 5 entirely white. Front and middle tarsi similarly marked but with bands narrower on segments 1 to 3, absent on 4; segment 5 on front tarsus varies from entirely dark to nearly all white; segment 5 of middle tarsus mostly white, blended with dark scales. Wing length is about 3.5 to 4.5 mm and has mixed broad brown and white scales.
Range
AZ-FL-NS-NE / W. Indies
(2)(O'Meara 1992), mostly coastal states from TX to ME (BG data)
Habitat
mostly in salt marshes in coastal areas. Also found in brackish water swamps in many of the inland states, particularly in oil fields.
(2)Season
The larvae and adults may be found any time during the year in the extreme south. It occurs from April or May to October in the marshes along the north Atlantic seaboard.
(2)Life Cycle
The adults are strong fliers and often migrate in large numbers to communities many miles from the salt-water marshes in which they breed. An occasional female specimen has been captured in light traps at distances as great as 100 miles from the salt-water pools in which the larvae are known to develop.
(2)Remarks
The females are persistent biters and will attack any time during the day or night.
(2)
An important vector of Eastern equine encephalitis (Tripe E) and dog heartworm. Numerous coastal mosquito control districts have been established primarily to combat the pest and disease problems caused by Ae. sollicitans - (O'Meara 1992)
Print References
O'Meara, G.F. 1992. The eastern saltmarsh mosquito Aedes sollicitans. Wing Beats, 3(4): 5.
