Mosquito Abundance and Bionomics in Residential Communities in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, California

Mosquito abundance and bionomics were studied intensively during summer and spring at two residential communities of contrasting economic status. Culex quinquefasciatus was the most abundant adult and immature mosquito collected in both communities, followed by Culiseta incidens, Culex stigmatosoma, and Culex tarsalis. Cx. stigmatosoma and Cx. tarsalis were more abundant in CO2 traps hung in tree canopy than at ground level and fed most frequently on birds. Cx. quinquefasciatus was abundant in both ground level and tree canopy CO2 traps and fed on both mammals and birds. Cs. incidens was collected most frequently by ground level CO2 traps and fed primarily on dogs. Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cs. incidens readily exploited peridomestic breeding sources, and resting adults were aggregated at houses with positive breeding sources. Although Cx. stigmatosoma and Cx. tarsalis larvae were collected primarily at peripheral breeding sources, the dispersion of resting adults was still clumped at houses within both communities. Mosquitoes were most abundant in the more affluent community due to an increased number of breeding sites created by automatic watering devices and poorly managed peripheral drainage channels. Resident opinion of recent mosquito annoyance was not related to the presence of mosquito breeding sources or the abundance of either resting or host-seeking mosquitoes.