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Meteorological effects on adult mosquito (Culex) populations in metropolitan New Jersey

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Abstract

For two metropolitan New Jersey counties, monthly average adult mosquito (Culex) catch from New Jersey light trap data sets covering multiple decades is related to a number of meteorological factors. From June through August climatological conditions accounted for between 40% and 50% of the variation in average catch. In general, high monthly precipitation totals both in the month corresponding to the catch and the previous month were associated with increased trap catch. However, individual heavy rainfall events tended to reduce catch. Warm temperatures exerted a positive influence on mosquito abundance in June, but were associated with a low catch in August. Linear meteorological relationships explained only a small percentage of the variations in mosquito catch during May and September. During July, and particularly August, antecedent monthly catch also explained a significant portion of the variance in the contemporaneous catch. Over 60% of the variability in August catch could be attributed to the July population.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center under contract EA1330-02-RP-0011. The work is part of the National Climate Impacts Indicator Program. The guidance of Dr. Laura Harrington and Ms. Renee Anderson concerning the entomological aspects of this work is greatly appreciated. Thanks are also extended to Mr. Rod Schmidt, Mr. Tony Acquaviva and Ms. Lisa Reed for providing the mosquito trap data.

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  1. Northeast Regional Climate Center, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Arthur T. DeGaetano

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  1. Arthur T. DeGaetano
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Correspondence to Arthur T. DeGaetano.

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DeGaetano, A.T. Meteorological effects on adult mosquito (Culex) populations in metropolitan New Jersey. Int J Biometeorol 49, 345–353 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-004-0242-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-004-0242-2

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