Daily Activity Dynamics of Different Species (Diptera, Culicidae) of Blood-Sucking Mosquitoes in the South of the Tyumen Region

Abstract

The purpose of the research is studying features of daily activity of different blood-sucking mosquito species from the southern taiga subareas, and aspen and birch forests of the Tyumen Region woodland and forest-steppe zone.

Materials and methods. The researches were conducted in 2005–2015 in the south of the Tyumen Region in three natural environment and climatic areas (subareas), namely, the southern taiga, the aspen and birch forests, and the forest-steppe zone. The surveys were carried out in each of three subareas twice in the summertime, namely, in June and July. The census of biting mosquitoes was held using an entomological net with detachable sacs. An interval between the censuses held was 2 hours. The temperature, relative air humidity, wind velocity and precipitation were recorded simultaneously. In determining a species composition of the blood-sucking mosquito imago, special identification tables were applied; specific names were given in accordance with the current list of valid specific names.

Results and discussion. Blood-sucking mosquito number in the south of the Tyumen Region is high within 24 hours. The maximum number and a peak in species diversity were observed at 11 p.m. in all-natural environment and climatic areas of the Region. In studying a 24-hour rhythm, attacks by 29 mosquito species of the Culicidae family, which belong to five genera, namely, Anopheles, Culiseta, Coquillettidia, Aedes and Culex were detected. In terms of temperature, they can roughly be divided into two groups. The first group (10 species) includes species that attack actively at 10 to 20°С, and the second group (19 species) includes species that attack actively at 10 to 30°С. High flight activity of mosquitoes can be observed at 12.6–26°С, relative air humidity of 54–99% and light intensity of 0–8600 lux. Given night temperatures are relatively high, the main factor that limits mosquito night activity is fog occurrence with air humidity up to 100%. One of the limiting factors for mosquitoes is strong wind; when wind velocity was 5 m/sec, attacks by few individual mosquitoes were only detected. The female mosquito activity is influenced by their overall number – the higher the mosquito number is, the harder they find a feeder and receive required blood meal.