Mosquito Overwintering Ecology

To date, there are nearly 3,500 species of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) identified to science, many of which serve as vectors of disease- causing organisms to humans and animals. Mosquitoes are ubiquitous in their distribution, being found in practically every habitat except permanently frozen areas. Approximately 75% of all mosquitoes are found in the tropics and subtropical areas, and many mosquito-borne illnesses are considered to be more tropical in their distribution (e.g., malaria or dengue fever). However, several diseases are found principally in colder, more temperate climate regimes, inclu ding Eastern Equine Encephalitis and La Crosse Encephalitis. Because worldwide travel has increased the potential for new disease introductions (e.g., dengue and West Nile viruses in North America) to more temperate areas of the world, overwintering eco-physiological aspects of mosquito biology have recently become a focal point of epidemiological study.

The survival mechanisms that...