Overwintering cave mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks

2004·2.2 MB·

by  Jeffrey K Barnes

PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
106(1). 2004. pp. 235-238
Note
Overwintering Cave Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Arkansas and
Missouri Ozarks
Some 60 species of mosquitoes occur in homes to feed. Females winter in buildings,
Arkansas and Missouri (Darsie and Ward cellars, hollow trees, and other well-pro-
1981, Crockett 2002). We have long known tected shelters (Carpenter and LaCasse
that mosquitoes occur in Ozark caves, but 1955, Horsfall 1955). In caves, they tend to
few species records have been available in congregate in the twilight zone. Movement
the literature. As a result of extensive col- into and out of caves is apparently governed
lecting effort in Missouri caves by the Mis- by outdoor temperature (Ives 1938, Hess
souri Department of Conservation and in and Crowell 1949). Adult females emerge
Arkansas caves by the Subterranean Bio- from overwintering quarters as early as
diversity Project at the University of Ar- February, take blood meals, and lay eggs
kansas we now know of four species that (Breeland et al. 1961). This species was
occur in Ozark caves. previously recorded from Canadian caves
The specimens recorded here are all fe- by Peck (1988); Massachusetts subterra-
males found in caves in late fall, winter, and nean habitats by Berg and Lang (1948); a
early spring. Few mosquitoes were ob- New York cave by Lawlor (1935); Tennes-
served in caves during the summer months see caves by Ives (1938); Kentucky caves
despite an equal degree of collecting effort by Barr (1967); Illinois caves by Peck and
during those months. Mated females appar- Lewis (1977); and Bat Cave. Crawford
ently enter caves to pass the winter. Male County, Missouri, by Craig (1977).
—
mosquitoes are rarely collected in caves. Culex erraticus (Dyar and Knab). AR-
Ives (1938) found only 8 males among KANSAS: 2 9, Marion County, Brown
3102 specimens collected in Tennessee Cave, 16 November 2001. 9. Marion
1
caves. They were all found in the early part County, Reed Cave, 9 March 2002. 1 9,
of the hibernation period and may not have Marion County, Reed Cave, 15 November
lived far into the winter. — 2001. 1 9, Newton County, Big Hole. 10
Anopheles piinctipennis (Say). AR- November 2001. 4 9, Newton County,
KANSAS: 9, Newton County, Tom Wat- Saltpeter Cave, 17 March 2002. 2 9, New-
1
son's Bear Cave, 26 January 2002. MIS- ton County, Tweet's Cave, 26 October
SOURI: 9, Boone County, Hunters Cave, 2001. 4 9, Stone County, Gustafson Cave.
1
November 1998. 2 9, Crawford County, 6 October 2002. 2 9, Stone County, Hidden
1
Campsite Cave, 18 December 1998. 5 9, Spring Cave, 5 October 2002. MISSOURI:
Maries County. Indian Ford Cave, 4 Janu- 4 9 Benton County, Estes Cave. 8 Novem-
,
ary 2002. 2 9 Maries County, Indian Ford ber 2002. 2 9, Boone County, Hunters
,
Crevice Cave, 4 January 2003. 2 9 Mc- Cave, November 1998. 9, Boone Coun-
I I
Donald County, MoDot Cave, 21 Novem- ty. Hunters Cave. 16 October 2002. 2 9.
ber 2002. Boone County. Rocheport Cave, 6 Septem-
Anopheles pimctipennis adults are noc- ber 2002. 2 9, Camden County, Adkins
turnal, resting during the daytime in hollow Cave, 8 November 2002. 3 9, Camden
trees, under rock overhangs, and in similar County, Moles Cave, 27 January 2003. 1
dark, moist shelters (Irby and Apperson 9 . McDonald County, McDot Cave. 2 1 No-
1992). Females take blood meals from vember 2002. 4 9, Shannon County. Bank-
mammals and birds. They rarely enter er Cave. 13 December 1998. 3" 9. Shannon
236 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
County, Forester Cave, 17 October 1998. 2 mushroom cave in early March (Owen
9, Shannon County, Knee Suck Cave, 20 1937).
January 1998. 4 ?, Wright County, Little Uranotaenia sapphirina (Osten Sack-
Smittle Cave, 14 November 2002. 2 9, en).—MISSOURI: 1 9, Boone County,
Wright County, Lowell Cave, 13 November Hunters Cave, 1 November 1998. 1 9,
2002. Camden County, Moles Cave, 27 January
At dusk, C. erraticus females move from 2003. 5 9. Oregon County, Long Point
shehered marsh and swamp forest sites to Cave, April 1998. 9, Wright County,
1 1
nearby grasslands (Snow 1955), where they Little Smittle Cave, 14 November 2002.
take blood meals opportunistically from Uranotaenia sapphirina adults are most
mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians active in early evening. They rest during the
(Robertson et al. 1993, Williams and day in dark cavities and other protected
Meisch 1981). During the day, they rest on shelters (Irby and Apperson 1992). Peterson
vegetation and in natural and man-made and Smith (1945) reported this species
sheltered areas (Irby and Apperson 1992). overwintering in considerable numbers in
This is the most common species found hollow trees with Anopheles quadrimacu-
wintering in Ozark caves during the course latus Say and A. punctipennis in Mississip-
of this study. It was previously reported pi. It was collected from a cave in eastern
from Missouri caves by Sutton (1993). New York State in February, along with A.
C
Culex pipiens Linnaeus or C. quinque- punctipennis and pipiens (Lawlor 1935).
/fl5c/arM5 Say.—ARKANSAS: 1 9, Benton The cave-inhabiting mosquito species are
County, Marshall Caves, 18 December not restricted to overwintering in caves.
1999. MISSOURI: 2 9, Camden County. They will choose any convenient dark,
Adkins Cave, 8 November 2002. 2 9, Mar- moist, sheltered area that provides protec-
ies County, Indian Ford Cave, 4 January tion from freezing temperatures, such as
2002. 9, Polk County, Mcdermic Cave, hollow trees, mammal burrows, rock piles,
1
15 March 2001. 5 9, Wright County, Little wells, mine shafts, culverts, cellars, sheds,
Smittle Cave, 15 December 1999. stables, and similar structures (Shemanchuk
Only females of this species were seen. 1965, Zukel 1949).
It is not possible to reliably determine if the Most of the Ozark mosquitoes that have
specimens are C. pipiens ox C. quinquefas- not been found in caves winter as eggs or
ciatus. The northern and southern house larvae. Aside from the four species record-
mosquitoes are commonly found in homes, ed here, local species that are thought to
and they bite humans at night. Adults rest overwinter as fertilized adult females in-
during the daytime on vegetation and in clude A. quadrimaculatus, Culex peccator
natural and man-made sheltered areas (Irby Dyar and Knab, Culex restuans Theobald,
and Apperson 1992). Culex pipiens com- Culex salinarius Coquillett, Culex tarsalis
prised 89% of the 1562 mosquitoes found Coquillett, Culex territans Walker, and Cu-
wintering in a small natural cave in the city liseta inornata (Williston). We might expect
of Montpellier, southern France, between to find these overwintering in Ozark caves.
October 1997 and the following March. Among them, A. quadrimaculatus (Hess
Only four of the specimens were males and Crowell 1949, Ives 1938, Peck 1988)
(Gazave et al. 2001). Culex pipiens was and C. restuans (Peck 1988) have been
previously recorded from Massachusetts found overwintering in caves elsewhere.
subterranean habitats by Berg and Lang Culex territans (misidentified as C. apical-
(1948), a New York cave by Lawlor (1935), is) has been found overwintering in subter-
Tennessee caves by Ives (1938), and Ilhnois ranean basement structures (Berg and Lang
caves by Peck and Lewis (1977). It was 1948). Adult female Culex tarsalis have
found in large numbers in a Minnesota been found wintering in abandoned mine
VOLUME NUMBER
106,
237
tunnels in Colorado (Mitchell 1979, Black- quito Control Association, Fresno. California, 313
more and Dow 1962) and Nevada (Chap- pp.
man 1961) and in rodent bunows in Cali- Gazave, E.. C. Chevillon. T Lenormand. M. Maruine,
fornia (Mortenson 1953). Culex tarsalis and and M. Raymond. 2001. Dissecting the cost of
insecticide resistance genes during the overwin-
C. inornata have been found wintering in tering period of the mosquito Culex pipiens. He-
subterranean burrows of large mammals in redity 87: 441-448.
Canada (Shemanchuk 1965). Our Aedes, Hess, A. D. and R. L. Crowell. 1949. Seasonal history
Ochlerotatus and Psorophora species are of Anopheles quaclriiiiaciilatiis in the Tennessee
thought to overwinter in the egg stage. Valley. Journal of the National Malaria Society 8:
159-170.
Adult Aedes canadensis (Theobald), A. ci- Horsfall, W. R. 1955. Mosquitoes: their bionomics and
nereus Meigen, A. ve.xans (Meigen), and relation to disease. The Ronald Press Company.
Ochlerotatus sticticus (Meigen) have been New York, 723 pp.
found in Canadian caves in late spring and Irby, W. S. and C. S. Apper.son. 1992. Spatial and tem-
summer, but not in winter (Peck 1988). poral distribution of resting female mosquitoes
(Diptera: Culicidae) in the coastal plain of North
The Missouri specimens recorded here
Carolina. Journal of Medical Entomology 29(2):
are the property of the Missouri Department 150-159.
of Conservation, Jefferson City. They will Ives, J. D. 1938. Cave hibernation ofmosquitoes. Jour-
be deposited in the Enns Entomology Mu- nal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 13(1):
15-20.
seum, University of Missouri, Columbia.
Lawlor, W. K. 1935. Hibernation of Uranotaenia sap-
The Arkansas specimens are deposited in
phirina (Osten Sacken) (Diptera: Culicidae). Bul-
the University of Arkansas Arthropod Mu- letin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society
seum, Fayetteville. 30(1): 14.
Mitchell. C. J. 1979. Winter survival of Culex tarsalis
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