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Insects
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Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems
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Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 20947

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paul T. Leisnham

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science & Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Interests: medical entomology; invasion biology; coupled human–natural systems
Dr. Bruce Noden

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Interests: medical entomology; infectious diseases; ecoepidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Disease-vector arthropods are an (re-)emerging and persistent concern in urban areas worldwide. Increasing our understanding of the tight coupling between arthropod and human systems and the transmission of vector-borne disease offers sustainable advances in vector control, urban planning, and public health. Our understanding of arthropod–human systems and their management intersects numerous disciplines, including population biology, disease ecology, invasion biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, epidemiology, sociology, and environmental justice, just to name a few. Integrated research and education are working in these areas, and multi-institutional interdisciplinary groups have formed to develop exciting new research directions and action. This Special Issue will report recent discoveries related with urban pests and vectors, and in particular, when entomology intersects with other disciplines to better understanding the complex coupling between arthropod and human systems.

Dr. Paul T. Leisnham
Dr. Bruce Noden
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ecoepidemiology
  • EcoHealth
  • medical entomology
  • OneHealth
  • socio-ecology
  • urbanization

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1687 KiB  
Article
Condition-Specific Competitive Effects of the Invasive Mosquito Aedes albopictus on the Resident Culex pipiens among Different Urban Container Habitats May Explain Their Coexistence in the Field
by Paul T. Leisnham, Shannon L. LaDeau, Megan E. M. Saunders and Oswaldo C. Villena
Insects 2021, 12(11), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12110993 - 04 Nov 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2681
Abstract
Condition-specific competition, when environmental conditions alter the outcome of competition, can foster the persistence of resident species after the invasion of a competitively superior invader. We test whether condition-specific competition can facilitate the areawide persistence of the resident and principal West Nile virus [...] Read more.
Condition-specific competition, when environmental conditions alter the outcome of competition, can foster the persistence of resident species after the invasion of a competitively superior invader. We test whether condition-specific competition can facilitate the areawide persistence of the resident and principal West Nile virus vector mosquito Culex pipiens with the competitively superior invasive Aedes albopictus in water from different urban container habitats. (2) Methods: We tested the effects of manipulated numbers of A. albopictus on C. pipiens’ survival and development in water collected from common functional and discarded containers in Baltimore, MD, USA. The experiment was conducted with typical numbers of larvae found in field surveys of C. pipiens and A. albopictus and container water quality. (3) Results: We found increased densities of A. albopictus negatively affected the survivorship and development of C. pipiens in water from discarded containers but had little effect in water from functional containers. This finding was driven by water from trash cans, which allowed consistently higher C. pipiens’ survival and development and had greater mean ammonia and nitrate concentrations that can promote microbial food than other container types. (4) Conclusions: These results suggest that the contents of different urban containers alter the effects of invasive A. albopictus competition on resident C. pipiens, that trash cans, in particular, facilitate the persistence of C. pipiens, and that there could be implications for West Nile virus risk as a result. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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12 pages, 1958 KiB  
Article
Field Effectiveness of Drones to Identify Potential Aedes aegypti Breeding Sites in Household Environments from Tapachula, a Dengue-Endemic City in Southern Mexico
by Kenia Mayela Valdez-Delgado, David A. Moo-Llanes, Rogelio Danis-Lozano, Luis Alberto Cisneros-Vázquez, Adriana E. Flores-Suarez, Gustavo Ponce-García, Carlos E. Medina-De la Garza, Esteban E. Díaz-González and Ildefonso Fernández-Salas
Insects 2021, 12(8), 663; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12080663 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2952
Abstract
Aedes aegypti control programs require more sensitive tools in order to survey domestic and peridomestic larval habitats for dengue and other arbovirus prevention areas. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, field technicians have faced a new occupational hazard during their work activities [...] Read more.
Aedes aegypti control programs require more sensitive tools in order to survey domestic and peridomestic larval habitats for dengue and other arbovirus prevention areas. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, field technicians have faced a new occupational hazard during their work activities in dengue surveillance and control. Safer strategies to monitor larval populations, in addition to minimum householder contact, are undoubtedly urgently needed. Drones can be part of the solution in urban and rural areas that are dengue-endemic. Throughout this study, the proportion of larvae breeding sites found in the roofs and backyards of houses were assessed using drone images. Concurrently, the traditional ground field technician’s surveillance was utilized to sample the same house groups. The results were analyzed in order to compare the effectiveness of both field surveillance approaches. Aerial images of 216 houses from El Vergel village in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, at a height of 30 m, were obtained using a drone. Each household was sampled indoors and outdoors by vector control personnel targeting all the containers that potentially served as Aedes aegypti breeding sites. The main results were that the drone could find 1 container per 2.8 found by ground surveillance; however, containers that were inaccessible by technicians in roofs and backyards, such as plastic buckets and tubs, disposable plastic containers and flowerpots were more often detected by drones than traditional ground surveillance. This new technological approach would undoubtedly improve the surveillance of Aedes aegypti in household environments, and better vector control activities would therefore be achieved in dengue-endemic countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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13 pages, 1666 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Anopheles stephensi Odorant Receptor 8, an Abundant Component of the Mouthpart Chemosensory Transcriptome
by Zachary Speth, Gurlaz Kaur, Devin Mazolewski, Rayden Sisomphou, Danielle Denise C. Siao, Rana Pooraiiouby, Hans Vasquez-Gross, Juli Petereit, Monika Gulia-Nuss, Dennis Mathew and Andrew B. Nuss
Insects 2021, 12(7), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12070593 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2712
Abstract
Several mosquito species within the genus Anopheles are vectors for human malaria, and the spread of this disease is driven by the propensity of certain species to feed preferentially on humans. The study of olfaction in mosquitoes is important to understand dynamics of [...] Read more.
Several mosquito species within the genus Anopheles are vectors for human malaria, and the spread of this disease is driven by the propensity of certain species to feed preferentially on humans. The study of olfaction in mosquitoes is important to understand dynamics of host-seeking and host-selection; however, the majority of these studies focus on Anopheles gambiae or An. coluzzii, both vectors of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other malaria vectors may recognize different chemical cues from potential hosts; therefore, in this study, we investigated An. stephensi, the south Asian malaria mosquito. We specifically focused on the mouthparts (primarily the maxillary palp and labella) that have been much less investigated compared to the antennae but are also important for host-seeking. To provide a broad view of chemoreceptor expression, RNAseq was used to examine the transcriptomes from the mouthparts of host-seeking females, blood-fed females, and males. Notably, AsOr8 had a high transcript abundance in all transcriptomes and was, therefore, cloned and expressed in the Drosophila empty neuron system. This permitted characterization with a panel of odorants that were selected, in part, for their presence in the human odor profile. The responsiveness of AsOr8 to odorants was highly similar to An. gambiae Or8 (AgOr8), except for sulcatone, which was detected by AsOr8 but not AgOr8. Subtle differences in the receptor sensitivity to specific odorants may provide clues to species- or strain-specific approaches to host-seeking and host selection. Further exploration of the profile of An. stephensi chemosensory proteins may yield a better understanding of how different malaria vectors navigate host-finding and host-choice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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18 pages, 2165 KiB  
Article
Aedes albopictus Populations and Larval Habitat Characteristics across the Landscape: Significant Differences Exist between Urban and Rural Land Use Types
by Katie M. Westby, Solny A. Adalsteinsson, Elizabeth G. Biro, Alexis J. Beckermann and Kim A. Medley
Insects 2021, 12(3), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030196 - 25 Feb 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2608
Abstract
One of the most profound recent global changes has been the proliferation of urban metropolitan areas. A consequence of urbanization is a reduction in abundance, or diversity, of wildlife. One exception, is the proliferation of vectors of disease; recent years have seen the [...] Read more.
One of the most profound recent global changes has been the proliferation of urban metropolitan areas. A consequence of urbanization is a reduction in abundance, or diversity, of wildlife. One exception, is the proliferation of vectors of disease; recent years have seen the emergence and resurgence of diseases vectored by species closely associated with humans. Aedes albopictus, a mosquito with a near global range and broad ecological niche, has been described as an urban, suburban, or rural vector, or a forest edge species depending on local conditions. We tested the hypothesis that abundance and phenological patterns of this species vary among different land use types in a temperate city because of the variation in the biotic and abiotic conditions characteristic of those habitat types. A. albopictus populations in urban and suburban areas were an order of magnitude larger than in rural areas and were detected several weeks earlier in the season. Additionally, we found fewer overall mosquito species, higher temperatures, lower nitrogen, higher pH, and faster water evaporation in larval habitats in urban vs. rural areas. By understanding the ecological differences that facilitate a species in one habitat and not another, we can potentially exploit those differences for targeted control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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16 pages, 2020 KiB  
Article
The Eco-Bio-Social Factors That Modulate Aedes aegypti Abundance in South Texas Border Communities
by Jose G. Juarez, Selene M. Garcia-Luna, Matthew C. I. Medeiros, Katherine L. Dickinson, Monica K. Borucki, Matthias Frank, Ismael Badillo-Vargas, Luis F. Chaves and Gabriel L. Hamer
Insects 2021, 12(2), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12020183 - 21 Feb 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3243
Abstract
Aedes aegypti control requires dedicated resources that are usually scarce, limiting the reach and sustainability of vector control programs. This generates a need to focus on areas at risk of disease transmission and also understand the factors that might modulate local mosquito abundance. [...] Read more.
Aedes aegypti control requires dedicated resources that are usually scarce, limiting the reach and sustainability of vector control programs. This generates a need to focus on areas at risk of disease transmission and also understand the factors that might modulate local mosquito abundance. We evaluated the eco-bio-social factors that modulate indoor and outdoor relative abundance of female Ae. aegypti in communities of South Texas. We conducted housing quality and Knowledge Attitudes and Practices surveys in households that were part of a weekly mosquito surveillance program in November of 2017 and 2018. Our results showed widespread knowledge of mosquitoes and Zika virus by our participants. However, less than 35% considered them as serious problems in this region. The presence of window-mounted air conditioning units increased the risk of female mosquito relative abundance indoors. An increase in outdoor relative abundance was associated with larger properties and a higher number of children between 6 to 17 years of age. Interestingly, we observed that an increasing number of children <5 years of age modulated both indoor and outdoor relative abundance, with a 52% increase indoors and 30% decrease outdoors. The low perception of mosquito and disease risk highlights engagement needs for vector-borne disease prevention in this region. The identified risk factors can help guide public health officials in their efforts to reduce human and vector contact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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21 pages, 15282 KiB  
Article
Temporal and Spatial Blood Feeding Patterns of Urban Mosquitoes in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico
by Matthew W. Hopken, Limarie J. Reyes-Torres, Nicole Scavo, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Zaid Abdo, Daniel Taylor, James Pierce and Donald A. Yee
Insects 2021, 12(2), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12020129 - 02 Feb 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3177
Abstract
Urban ecosystems are a patchwork of habitats that host a broad diversity of animal species. Insects comprise a large portion of urban biodiversity which includes many pest species, including those that transmit pathogens. Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) inhabit urban environments and rely on sympatric [...] Read more.
Urban ecosystems are a patchwork of habitats that host a broad diversity of animal species. Insects comprise a large portion of urban biodiversity which includes many pest species, including those that transmit pathogens. Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) inhabit urban environments and rely on sympatric vertebrate species to complete their life cycles, and in this process transmit pathogens to animals and humans. Given that mosquitoes feed upon vertebrates, they can also act as efficient samplers that facilitate detection of vertebrate species that utilize urban ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed DNA extracted from mosquito blood meals collected temporally in multiple neighborhoods of the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico to evaluate the presence of vertebrate fauna. DNA was collected from 604 individual mosquitoes that represented two common urban species, Culex quinquefasciatus (n = 586) and Aedes aegypti (n = 18). Culex quinquefasciatus fed on 17 avian taxa (81.2% of blood meals), seven mammalian taxa (17.9%), and one reptilian taxon (0.85%). Domestic chickens dominated these blood meals both temporally and spatially, and no statistically significant shift from birds to mammals was detected. Aedes aegypti blood meals were from a less diverse group, with two avian taxa (11.1%) and three mammalian taxa (88.9%) identified. The blood meals we identified provided a snapshot of the vertebrate community in the San Juan Metropolitan Area and have potential implications for vector-borne pathogen transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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20 pages, 2800 KiB  
Article
Landscape and Anthropogenic Factors Associated with Adult Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Small Cities in the Southern Great Plains
by Jordan D. Sanders, Justin L. Talley, Amy E. Frazier and Bruce H. Noden
Insects 2020, 11(10), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11100699 - 13 Oct 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2059
Abstract
As mosquito-borne diseases are a growing human health concern in the United States, the distribution and potential arbovirus risk from container-breeding Aedes mosquitoes is understudied in the southern Great Plains. The aim of the study was to assess landscape and anthropogenic factors associated [...] Read more.
As mosquito-borne diseases are a growing human health concern in the United States, the distribution and potential arbovirus risk from container-breeding Aedes mosquitoes is understudied in the southern Great Plains. The aim of the study was to assess landscape and anthropogenic factors associated with encountering adult container-breeding mosquitoes in small cities in southern Oklahoma. Collections were carried out over a 10 week period from June to August 2017 along two geographical transects, each consisting of three cities, equally distant from the Red River/Texas border. Mosquitoes were collected weekly using two trap types along with data for 13 landscape, vegetation, and anthropogenic variables. After five rounds of collection, 6628 female mosquitoes were collected over 2110 trap-nights involving 242 commercial or residential sites in six cities. Of the mosquitoes collected, 80% consisted of container-breeding species: Aedes albopictus (72%), Culex pipiens complex (16%) and Aedes aegypti (8%). Regionally, Aedes aegypti was more likely present in cities closest to the Texas border while Ae. albopictus was spread throughout the region. In general, Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were significantly more present in sites featuring no or low vegetation and residential sites. Variables associated with Ae. albopictus presence and abundance varied between cities and highlighted the urban nature of the species. The study highlighted the distribution of Ae. aegypti geographically and within the urban context, indicated potential habitat preferences of container-breeding mosquito species in small towns, and demonstrated the usefulness of Gravid Aedes traps (GAT) traps for monitoring Aedes populations in urban habitats in small cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Pests and Vectors: Interdisciplinary Links between Arthropod–Human Systems)
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