The brown anole, a nonnative lizard and common sight in Florida, has long served as an important host for disease-carrying mosquitoes. However,  its population in South Florida may be declining, apparently displaced by the more recent arrival and spread of the Peters’s rock agama, an aggressive and large nonnative lizard. “This battle over Florida territory [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_47063" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47063" style="width: 363px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class=" wp-image-47063" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/08/Brown-anole-Courtesy-Nathan-Burkett-Cadena-300x181.jpg" alt="" width="363" height="219" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47063" class="wp-caption-text">A brown anole. Courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena</figcaption></figure>
The brown anole, a nonnative lizard and common sight in Florida, has long served as an important host for disease-carrying mosquitoes. However,  its population in South Florida may be declining, apparently displaced by the more recent arrival and <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/AG463">spread of the Peters’s rock agama</a>, an aggressive and large nonnative lizard.
“This battle over Florida territory by two lizard species may seem minor, given the myriad of problems that Florida faces from other invaders such as Burmese pythons,” said <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/n-burkett-cadena/">Nathan Burkett-Cadena</a>, associate professor at the <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/">UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory</a> (FMEL). “However, this reptile rumpus could have implications for public health.”
A team of University of Florida scientists is looking to unveil those implications in a one-year study, while focusing on how these reptiles are influencing the spread of diseases like West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and Eastern equine encephalitis.
The study, “Invasive lizard-mediated risk of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission,” is one of seven projects funded by a $350,000 grant from <a href="https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/isri-research/invasive-species-seed-funded-projects/">UF’s Invasion Science Research Institute</a>. The team is addressing critical ecological issues in the state caused by the spread of the Peters’s rock agama.
<figure id="attachment_47065" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47065" style="width: 366px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-47065" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/08/IMG_7820-Peterss-Rock-Agama-Courtesy-Nathan-Burkett_Cadena-300x159.jpg" alt="" width="366" height="194" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47065" class="wp-caption-text">Peters&#8217;s rock agama. Courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena</figcaption></figure>
“It’s possible that brown anole lizards have been unwittingly and unintentionally protecting us from West Nile virus and some other mosquito-transmitted diseases,” said Burkett-Cadena, principal investigator of the study. “Any time a mosquito bites a lizard, it doesn’t bite a bird or a human. This could result in fewer cases of mosquito-borne disease, because birds are natural hosts of some dangerous mosquito-transmitted viruses.”
The Peters’s rock agama may be changing all that by reducing the numbers of brown anole lizards that are available for mosquitoes to bite, and mosquitoes don’t bite the rock agama because they sleep in crevices where the mosquitoes can’t or don’t go, said Burkett-Cadena.
Together with co-principal scientists <a href="https://flrec.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/dr-melissa-miller/">Melissa Miller</a>, a research assistant scientist in invasion ecology at the <a href="https://flrec.ifas.ufl.edu">UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education</a> Center, and <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/l-reeves/">Lawrence Reeves</a>, an assistant professor of entomology at FMEL, they will look at how invasive lizards, like the Peters&#8217;s rock agama, affect which animals mosquitoes bite and how this influences the spread of diseases in Florida.
Here is a brief overview from the team on what they will be focusing on during the research.
<figure id="attachment_47059" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47059" style="width: 434px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-47059 " src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/08/Culex-nigripalpus-Courtesy-Nathan-Burkett-Cadena-300x214.jpg" alt="" width="434" height="309" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47059" class="wp-caption-text">This mosquito, <a href="https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/aquatic/fl_sle_mosquito.htm">Culex nigripalpus</a>, is a targeted species in the study. As a mosquito of public health concern, it is responsible for transmitting the St. Louis encephalitis virus throughout the southern half of Florida. They are also reportedly involved in the transmission of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus from Titusville north to Jacksonville and west to Pensacola. Courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena</figcaption></figure>
&nbsp;
Q: What is the most important outcome you hope to learn from the study?
A: (Burkett-Cadena) We hope to show that invasive species have a lot of indirect consequences that are difficult to imagine before they establish. This will hopefully highlight the importance of programs that manage invasive species.
 
Q: Why is Florida particularly vulnerable to nonnative reptiles, and how many of these species are established in the state? 
A: (Miller) Florida is a hot spot of biological invasions, particularly for reptiles, primarily due to its warm climate, major ports of entry, a thriving reptile trade and destructive storms that can facilitate escapes. At least 54 species of nonnative reptiles are established and breeding in Florida.
 
Q: What role does Peters’s rock agama play in this ecosystem? 
A: (Miller) Since its introduction, Peters’s rock agama has spread to at least 20 counties in Florida. Agamas impact our native wildlife directly through predation and competition. However, less conspicuous impacts, such as the potential for agamas to alter disease transmission, are less understood and warrant further investigation.
 
&nbsp;
Q: Why is it important to study the indirect impacts of invasive species on mosquito-borne parasites and pathogens?
<figure id="attachment_47061" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47061" style="width: 433px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-47061" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/08/Culex.erraticus.2_Burkett-Cadena-1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="433" height="288" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47061" class="wp-caption-text">These mosquitoes, <a href="https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/AQUATIC/a_mosquito_Culex_erraticus.htm">Culex erraticus</a> shown biting, is a species targeted for this study. It is of public health concern for its potential to transmit mosquito-borne diseases to humans. Photo courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena</figcaption></figure>
A: (Reeves) When nonnative or invasive species move, they have diverse impacts on the ecosystems they invade. Some of these are direct, like the Burmese pythons in southern Florida eating mammals and other vertebrates. Others are indirect effects, like Burmese pythons eating racoons that would normally eat turtle eggs, leading to more turtles hatching. These impacts extend to the transmission of mosquito-borne parasites and pathogens. Transmission of many of these are influenced by the diversity and abundance of the available animals.
As a result, the introduction of new animal species into a system can directly or indirectly change how and how much these pathogens are transmitted. Studying the indirect impacts of invasive species on mosquito-borne parasites and pathogens allows our understanding of transmission and risk to humans to be up to date, helping us better address issues in mosquito-borne disease.
Q: What are the main objectives of your research on Peters’s rock agama?
A: (Reeves) We are investigating how the presence or absence of these lizards affects the types of animals that are bitten by mosquitoes and how those impacts influence the transmission of avian malaria. It has a similar transmission cycle to West Nile virus, the most widespread mosquito-spread pathogen affecting people in Florida.
 
Q: What are the potential implications of your research for wildlife management and public health in Florida?
A: (Burkett-Cadena) Wildlife managers can prioritize their budgets and personnel to manage invaders that have consequences for human health.
&nbsp;
###
By Lourdes Mederos, <a href="mailto:rodriguezl@ufl.edu">rodriguezl@ufl.edu</a>
ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>
 
ABOUT ISRI 
The mission of the University of Florida Invasion Science Research Institute (UF/ISRI) is to facilitate interdisciplinary research that advances our understanding of the causes and consequences of invasive species; generates innovative approaches to reduce invasions and their impacts on natural, agricultural, and urban systems; and train the next generation of invasion scientists. UF/ISRI has over 190 affiliates and collaborators with a variety of backgrounds and expertise.
<a href="https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/">invasionscience.ufl.edu</a>  | <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Finvasionscience_uf%3Figsh%3DMW1wajN3d2lra3E3Nw%3D%3D&amp;data=05%7C02%7Crodriguezl%40ufl.edu%7Cb71cacd14e66409803cc08dc99f575bf%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638554527127887356%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=%2Fc2%2BjnLDz3SsrN6pXyltmsxp7ccU0G0rc229VzHJ3cg%3D&amp;reserved=0">@invasionscience_uf</a>

A brown anole. Courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena
The brown anole, a nonnative lizard and common sight in Florida, has long served as an important host for disease-carrying mosquitoes. However,  its population in South Florida may be declining, apparently displaced by the more recent arrival and spread of the Peters’s rock agama, an aggressive and large nonnative lizard.
“This battle over Florida territory by two lizard species may seem minor, given the myriad of problems that Florida faces from other invaders such as Burmese pythons,” said Nathan Burkett-Cadena, associate professor at the UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (FMEL). “However, this reptile rumpus could have implications for public health.”
A team of University of Florida scientists is looking to unveil those implications in a one-year study, while focusing on how these reptiles are influencing the spread of diseases like West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and Eastern equine encephalitis.
The study, “Invasive lizard-mediated risk of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission,” is one of seven projects funded by a $350,000 grant from UF’s Invasion Science Research Institute. The team is addressing critical ecological issues in the state caused by the spread of the Peters’s rock agama.
Peters’s rock agama. Courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena
“It’s possible that brown anole lizards have been unwittingly and unintentionally protecting us from West Nile virus and some other mosquito-transmitted diseases,” said Burkett-Cadena, principal investigator of the study. “Any time a mosquito bites a lizard, it doesn’t bite a bird or a human. This could result in fewer cases of mosquito-borne disease, because birds are natural hosts of some dangerous mosquito-transmitted viruses.”
The Peters’s rock agama may be changing all that by reducing the numbers of brown anole lizards that are available for mosquitoes to bite, and mosquitoes don’t bite the rock agama because they sleep in crevices where the mosquitoes can’t or don’t go, said Burkett-Cadena.
Together with co-principal scientists Melissa Miller, a research assistant scientist in invasion ecology at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, and Lawrence Reeves, an assistant professor of entomology at FMEL, they will look at how invasive lizards, like the Peters’s rock agama, affect which animals mosquitoes bite and how this influences the spread of diseases in Florida.
Here is a brief overview from the team on what they will be focusing on during the research.
This mosquito, Culex nigripalpus, is a targeted species in the study. As a mosquito of public health concern, it is responsible for transmitting the St. Louis encephalitis virus throughout the southern half of Florida. They are also reportedly involved in the transmission of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus from Titusville north to Jacksonville and west to Pensacola. Courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena
 
Q: What is the most important outcome you hope to learn from the study?
A: (Burkett-Cadena) We hope to show that invasive species have a lot of indirect consequences that are difficult to imagine before they establish. This will hopefully highlight the importance of programs that manage invasive species.
 
Q: Why is Florida particularly vulnerable to nonnative reptiles, and how many of these species are established in the state? 
A: (Miller) Florida is a hot spot of biological invasions, particularly for reptiles, primarily due to its warm climate, major ports of entry, a thriving reptile trade and destructive storms that can facilitate escapes. At least 54 species of nonnative reptiles are established and breeding in Florida.
 
Q: What role does Peters’s rock agama play in this ecosystem? 
A: (Miller) Since its introduction, Peters’s rock agama has spread to at least 20 counties in Florida. Agamas impact our native wildlife directly through predation and competition. However, less conspicuous impacts, such as the potential for agamas to alter disease transmission, are less understood and warrant further investigation.
 
 
Q: Why is it important to study the indirect impacts of invasive species on mosquito-borne parasites and pathogens?
These mosquitoes, Culex erraticus shown biting, is a species targeted for this study. It is of public health concern for its potential to transmit mosquito-borne diseases to humans. Photo courtesy Nathan Burkett-Cadena
A: (Reeves) When nonnative or invasive species move, they have diverse impacts on the ecosystems they invade. Some of these are direct, like the Burmese pythons in southern Florida eating mammals and other vertebrates. Others are indirect effects, like Burmese pythons eating racoons that would normally eat turtle eggs, leading to more turtles hatching. These impacts extend to the transmission of mosquito-borne parasites and pathogens. Transmission of many of these are influenced by the diversity and abundance of the available animals.
As a result, the introduction of new animal species into a system can directly or indirectly change how and how much these pathogens are transmitted. Studying the indirect impacts of invasive species on mosquito-borne parasites and pathogens allows our understanding of transmission and risk to humans to be up to date, helping us better address issues in mosquito-borne disease.
Q: What are the main objectives of your research on Peters’s rock agama?
A: (Reeves) We are investigating how the presence or absence of these lizards affects the types of animals that are bitten by mosquitoes and how those impacts influence the transmission of avian malaria. It has a similar transmission cycle to West Nile virus, the most widespread mosquito-spread pathogen affecting people in Florida.
 
Q: What are the potential implications of your research for wildlife management and public health in Florida?
A: (Burkett-Cadena) Wildlife managers can prioritize their budgets and personnel to manage invaders that have consequences for human health.
 
###
By Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS
 
ABOUT ISRI
University of Florida Invasion Science Research Institute (UF/ISRI) is to facilitate interdisciplinary research that advances our understanding of the causes and consequences of invasive species; generates innovative approaches to reduce invasions and their impacts on natural, agricultural, and urban systems; and train the next generation of invasion scientists. UF/ISRI has over 190 affiliates and collaborators with a variety of backgrounds and expertise.
invasionscience.ufl.edu  | @invasionscience_uf

The brown anole, a nonnative lizard and common sight in Florida, has long served as an important host for disease-carrying mosquitoes. However,  its population in South Florida may be declining, apparently displaced by the more recent arrival and spread of the Peters’s rock agama, an aggressive and large nonnative lizard. “This battle over Florida territory […]

Shift in Florida’s lizard population could influence spread of mosquito-borne diseases, UF/IFAS scientists probing impacts

Extensive rains, flooding and scattered debris that hold water can lead to mosquito development. “An increase in mosquito numbers can potentially be expected in the weeks following the extensive rain events that took place in South Florida last week,” said  Eva Buckner, an assistant professor and medical entomologist at the University of Florida’s Institute of [&#8230;]

Extensive rains, flooding and scattered debris that hold water can lead to mosquito development.
“An increase in mosquito numbers can potentially be expected in the weeks following the extensive rain events that took place in South Florida last week,” said  <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/e-buckner/">Eva Buckner</a>, an assistant professor and medical entomologist at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Buckner, an Extension specialist at <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/">UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory</a> in Vero Beach, remains in close contact with many of Florida’s more than 65 mosquito control programs providing training, solutions and information on topics including mosquito insecticide resistance, mosquito-borne diseases, integrated mosquito management and more. She also educates the public on how to prevent mosquito bites.
Buckner offers the following facts and tips to help keep residents from getting bitten, eliminate mosquito production sites during flood recovery, and dispel myths about mosquito-borne diseases.
&nbsp;
Q: Can flooding promote mosquito population growth?
A: Yes. Flooding can cause mosquito eggs laid in the soil by floodwater mosquitoes during previous floods to hatch. This can result in very large populations of floodwater mosquitoes. Most of these mosquitoes are considered nuisance mosquitoes because they are primarily annoying biters that do not transmit any viruses to humans. Additionally, if floodwaters do not recede, standing water mosquitoes may start laying eggs on the standing waters.
&nbsp;
Q: Do some of these mosquitoes carry viruses like Zika and West Nile?
A: In general, floodwater mosquitoes are just considered nuisance mosquitoes, except for <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN792">Aedes aegypti</a>, the yellow fever mosquito. This species can transmit <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/index.html">chikungunya</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/zika/">Zika</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/index.html">dengue virus</a>.
In Florida, this species can be found in some suburban and urban areas in the peninsular portion of the state. In areas with Aedes aegypti, increased rainfall may result in increased hatching of Aedes aegypti eggs from <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1286">water-holding containers</a>.
We&#8217;ve had no travel-related cases of chikungunya or Zika this year, so no transmission of these viruses is expected. However, the risk of getting infected with dengue virus from Aedes aegypti may be slightly increased in areas where this mosquito species and travel-related dengue cases occur like Miami-Dade County. Sixty travel-related dengue cases have been documented in Miami-Dade County so far this year.
Also, some species of standing water mosquitoes can transmit <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1375">West Nile virus</a>, so steps should be taken to protect from mosquito bites.
 
Q: What steps can residents take to protect themselves from mosquito bites?
A: The most important tip to remember is to use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. Wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants can also help protect from mosquito bites.
 
Q: What steps can residents take to control mosquitoes around their homes?
 A: Dumping water from water-holding containers commonly found surrounding homes, such as pet dishes, vases, buckets, toys, flowerpot saucers, and cans is recommended for reducing mosquito production. You can help reduce your risk of diseases just by dumping or treating water-holding containers. Use granules, pellets, or dunks containing Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti) bacteria to kill immature mosquitoes in water-holding containers that cannot be drained easily like birdbaths or bromeliads . Bti-treated water is safe for animals to drink. Bti products can be purchased at hardware or box stores. For vast water sources, it is best to leave the source reduction and treatment to the mosquito control agencies. Contact your local mosquito control program to ask for treatment request. For more information, please see <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1045">Mosquitoes and Their Control: Integrated Pest Management for Mosquito Reduction around Homes and Neighborhoods</a>.
###
By Lourdes Mederos, <a href="mailto:rodriguezl@ufl.edu">rodriguezl@ufl.edu</a>
<a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2023/04/21/las-inundaciones-y-las-calidas-temperaturas-promueven-la-reproduccion-de-mosquitos-un-experto-de-uf-ifas-explica-que-esperar-y-como-protegerse/">Para accesar a esta comunicación en español, por favor utilice este enlace </a>
ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>

Extensive rains, flooding and scattered debris that hold water can lead to mosquito development.
“An increase in mosquito numbers can potentially be expected in the weeks following the extensive rain events that took place in South Florida last week,” said  Eva Buckner, an assistant professor and medical entomologist at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Buckner, an Extension specialist at UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in Vero Beach, remains in close contact with many of Florida’s more than 65 mosquito control programs providing training, solutions and information on topics including mosquito insecticide resistance, mosquito-borne diseases, integrated mosquito management and more. She also educates the public on how to prevent mosquito bites.
Buckner offers the following facts and tips to help keep residents from getting bitten, eliminate mosquito production sites during flood recovery, and dispel myths about mosquito-borne diseases.
 
Q: Can flooding promote mosquito population growth?
A: Yes. Flooding can cause mosquito eggs laid in the soil by floodwater mosquitoes during previous floods to hatch. This can result in very large populations of floodwater mosquitoes. Most of these mosquitoes are considered nuisance mosquitoes because they are primarily annoying biters that do not transmit any viruses to humans. Additionally, if floodwaters do not recede, standing water mosquitoes may start laying eggs on the standing waters.
 
Q: Do some of these mosquitoes carry viruses like Zika and West Nile?
A: In general, floodwater mosquitoes are just considered nuisance mosquitoes, except for Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito. This species can transmit chikungunya, Zika and dengue virus.
In Florida, this species can be found in some suburban and urban areas in the peninsular portion of the state. In areas with Aedes aegypti, increased rainfall may result in increased hatching of Aedes aegypti eggs from water-holding containers.
We’ve had no travel-related cases of chikungunya or Zika this year, so no transmission of these viruses is expected. However, the risk of getting infected with dengue virus from Aedes aegypti may be slightly increased in areas where this mosquito species and travel-related dengue cases occur like Miami-Dade County. Sixty travel-related dengue cases have been documented in Miami-Dade County so far this year.
Also, some species of standing water mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus, so steps should be taken to protect from mosquito bites.
 
Q: What steps can residents take to protect themselves from mosquito bites?
A: The most important tip to remember is to use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. Wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants can also help protect from mosquito bites.
 
Q: What steps can residents take to control mosquitoes around their homes?
 A: Dumping water from water-holding containers commonly found surrounding homes, such as pet dishes, vases, buckets, toys, flowerpot saucers, and cans is recommended for reducing mosquito production. You can help reduce your risk of diseases just by dumping or treating water-holding containers. Use granules, pellets, or dunks containing Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti) bacteria to kill immature mosquitoes in water-holding containers that cannot be drained easily like birdbaths or bromeliads . Bti-treated water is safe for animals to drink. Bti products can be purchased at hardware or box stores. For vast water sources, it is best to leave the source reduction and treatment to the mosquito control agencies. Contact your local mosquito control program to ask for treatment request. For more information, please see Mosquitoes and Their Control: Integrated Pest Management for Mosquito Reduction around Homes and Neighborhoods.
###
By Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
Para accesar a esta comunicación en español, por favor utilice este enlace 
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS

Extensive rains, flooding and scattered debris that hold water can lead to mosquito development. “An increase in mosquito numbers can potentially be expected in the weeks following the extensive rain events that took place in South Florida last week,” said  Eva Buckner, an assistant professor and medical entomologist at the University of Florida’s Institute of […]

Floods, warm temperatures promote mosquito production, UF/IFAS expert explains what to expect, how to protect

Another new mosquito species has made its way across the tropics into Florida, making a permanent home in at least three counties. Scientists are concerned because of the rate of new mosquitoes arriving in Florida and the potential for them to transmit mosquito-borne diseases. A mosquito known only by its scientific name, Culex lactator, is [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_35859" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35859" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-35859" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2023/03/IMG_3779-300x169.jpeg" alt="" width="522" height="294" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35859" class="wp-caption-text">Lawrence Reeves collecting mosquitoes from a trap in South Florida.</figcaption></figure>
Another new mosquito species has made its way across the tropics into Florida, making a permanent home in at least three counties. Scientists are concerned because of the rate of new mosquitoes arriving in Florida and the potential for them to transmit mosquito-borne diseases.
A mosquito known only by its scientific name, Culex lactator, is the latest to establish in the Sunshine State, according to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jme/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jme/tjad023/7081428?searchresult=1">a new study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology</a> by faculty at the <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu">UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory</a> (UF/IFAS FMEL).
This species was first discovered in Miami-Dade County in 2018 by UF/IFAS faculty while they hunted for other nonnative mosquitoes. Since then, thriving populations have been recorded in Miami-Dade, Collier and Lee counties. Scientists are concerned there hasn’t been enough research on the species and their potential disease risk.
“There are about 90 mosquito species living in Florida, and that list is growing as new mosquito species are introduced to the state from elsewhere in the world,” said <a href="https://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/l-reeves/">Lawrence Reeves</a>, lead author of the study and an assistant professor and mosquito biologist at the UF/IFAS research center in Vero Beach.
<figure id="attachment_35853" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35853" style="width: 358px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-35853" src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2023/03/Cx_lactator_specimens-300x267.jpg" alt="" width="358" height="319" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35853" class="wp-caption-text">A close-up look at the Culex lactator collected by Lawrence Reeves, author of the manuscript. Photo courtesy Lawrence Reeves.</figcaption></figure>
Mosquitoes are among the most studied insects because they can transmit diseases. However, there are large gaps of knowledge, said Reeves.
“That’s particularly true for species from the tropical forests, where mosquitoes are diverse and understudied,” he said. “Introductions of new mosquito species like this are concerning because many of our greatest mosquito-related challenges are the result of nonnative mosquitoes, and in a case like this, it’s difficult to anticipate what to expect when we know so little about a mosquito species.”
Globally, there are more than 3,600 types of mosquitoes. When a new mosquito is found in Florida, it could be any of these species. Reeves and his team used DNA analysis and other tools to not only discover they had found a new mosquito species, but to identify it as Culex lactator.
Culex lactator is found in Central America and northern South America and is a member of the Culex group of mosquitoes. This group includes important species that transmit the West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis viruses, but it is unclear whether Culex lactator will contribute to the transmission of these viruses in Florida.
Every year, Florida faces challenges from mosquito-transmitted diseases like West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus and others, explained Reeves.
“It’s too early to know whether Culex lactator will exacerbate these challenges, but the implications are often difficult to predict because not all mosquito species are equally capable of transmitting a particular virus or other pathogen,” said Reeves.
Each mosquito-borne virus is transmitted by only certain mosquito species, said Reeves.
“We need to be vigilant for introductions of new mosquito species because each introduction comes with the possibility that the introduced species will facilitate the transmission of a mosquito-transmitted disease,” he said.
<figure id="attachment_35857" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-35857" style="width: 506px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-35857 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="506" height="337" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2023/03/LER_8826-300x200.jpg"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-35857" class="wp-caption-text">Reeves collects mosquitoes with an aspirator from a site in Florida.</figcaption></figure>
The initial specimens of Culex lactator were collected in 2018 from rural sites in southern Miami-Dade County, south of Florida City, followed by additional adult and immature specimens collected through 2022 in the same locations. Each set of mosquitoes were collected from traps set by associate professor Nathan Burkett-Cadena, doctoral student Kristin Sloyer and Reeves while looking for other recently introduced mosquitoes.
In 2022, scientists with the Collier Mosquito Control District and Lee County Mosquito Control District found Culex lactator in their counties, indicating that Culex lactator has likely spread from its initial point of introduction.
Currently, Culex lactator is known to live in Collier County – south and east of Naples – Lee County, west of Fort Myers, and in the Homestead area of Miami-Dade County, though it may have also spread elsewhere in the state, said Reeves.
“Culex lactator is physically similar to mosquito species already known from Florida. It looks like other more common mosquito species,” said Reeves. “Because of that similarity, the presence of Culex lactator in an area can be easy to miss.”
Reeves and his team stress it’s important to monitor for Culex lactator as it is likely to spread within the state into areas that are environmentally suitable.
Florida’s proximity to the tropics and climate conditions make it ideal for nonnative mosquito species. Scientists are concerned about the rate and frequency of new species establishing in Florida. As many as 17 nonnative mosquito species are established in the state. Researchers stress that the detections of nonnative mosquito species are increasingly frequent, with 11 of 17 nonnative species first reported in the past two decades, and six of these 17 detected in only the past five years, said Reeves.
The mosquitoes Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus – among the most important disease vectors in the United States – like Culex lactator, are nonnative species, introduced from the tropics.
“Climate change may improve the chances of tropical mosquito species becoming established once they make it to Florida if the state becomes warmer,” adds Reeves. “Increasing storm frequency and intensity could also blow in more mosquitoes and other species from the Caribbean, Central America and elsewhere.
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By Lourdes Mederos, <a href="mailto:rodriguezl@ufl.edu">rodriguezl@ufl.edu</a>
<a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2023/03/22/investigacion-de-uf-ifas-revela-nueva-especie-de-mosquito-en-florida/">Para accesar a esta comunicación en español, por favor utilice este enlace</a>
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ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>

Lawrence Reeves collecting mosquitoes from a trap in South Florida.
Another new mosquito species has made its way across the tropics into Florida, making a permanent home in at least three counties. Scientists are concerned because of the rate of new mosquitoes arriving in Florida and the potential for them to transmit mosquito-borne diseases.
A mosquito known only by its scientific name, Culex lactator, is the latest to establish in the Sunshine State, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology by faculty at the UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (UF/IFAS FMEL).
This species was first discovered in Miami-Dade County in 2018 by UF/IFAS faculty while they hunted for other nonnative mosquitoes. Since then, thriving populations have been recorded in Miami-Dade, Collier and Lee counties. Scientists are concerned there hasn’t been enough research on the species and their potential disease risk.
“There are about 90 mosquito species living in Florida, and that list is growing as new mosquito species are introduced to the state from elsewhere in the world,” said Lawrence Reeves, lead author of the study and an assistant professor and mosquito biologist at the UF/IFAS research center in Vero Beach.
A close-up look at the Culex lactator collected by Lawrence Reeves, author of the manuscript. Photo courtesy Lawrence Reeves.
Mosquitoes are among the most studied insects because they can transmit diseases. However, there are large gaps of knowledge, said Reeves.
“That’s particularly true for species from the tropical forests, where mosquitoes are diverse and understudied,” he said. “Introductions of new mosquito species like this are concerning because many of our greatest mosquito-related challenges are the result of nonnative mosquitoes, and in a case like this, it’s difficult to anticipate what to expect when we know so little about a mosquito species.”
Globally, there are more than 3,600 types of mosquitoes. When a new mosquito is found in Florida, it could be any of these species. Reeves and his team used DNA analysis and other tools to not only discover they had found a new mosquito species, but to identify it as Culex lactator.
Culex lactator is found in Central America and northern South America and is a member of the Culex group of mosquitoes. This group includes important species that transmit the West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis viruses, but it is unclear whether Culex lactator will contribute to the transmission of these viruses in Florida.
Every year, Florida faces challenges from mosquito-transmitted diseases like West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus and others, explained Reeves.
“It’s too early to know whether Culex lactator will exacerbate these challenges, but the implications are often difficult to predict because not all mosquito species are equally capable of transmitting a particular virus or other pathogen,” said Reeves.
Each mosquito-borne virus is transmitted by only certain mosquito species, said Reeves.
“We need to be vigilant for introductions of new mosquito species because each introduction comes with the possibility that the introduced species will facilitate the transmission of a mosquito-transmitted disease,” he said.
Reeves collects mosquitoes with an aspirator from a site in Florida.
The initial specimens of Culex lactator were collected in 2018 from rural sites in southern Miami-Dade County, south of Florida City, followed by additional adult and immature specimens collected through 2022 in the same locations. Each set of mosquitoes were collected from traps set by associate professor Nathan Burkett-Cadena, doctoral student Kristin Sloyer and Reeves while looking for other recently introduced mosquitoes.
In 2022, scientists with the Collier Mosquito Control District and Lee County Mosquito Control District found Culex lactator in their counties, indicating that Culex lactator has likely spread from its initial point of introduction.
Currently, Culex lactator is known to live in Collier County – south and east of Naples – Lee County, west of Fort Myers, and in the Homestead area of Miami-Dade County, though it may have also spread elsewhere in the state, said Reeves.
“Culex lactator is physically similar to mosquito species already known from Florida. It looks like other more common mosquito species,” said Reeves. “Because of that similarity, the presence of Culex lactator in an area can be easy to miss.”
Reeves and his team stress it’s important to monitor for Culex lactator as it is likely to spread within the state into areas that are environmentally suitable.
Florida’s proximity to the tropics and climate conditions make it ideal for nonnative mosquito species. Scientists are concerned about the rate and frequency of new species establishing in Florida. As many as 17 nonnative mosquito species are established in the state. Researchers stress that the detections of nonnative mosquito species are increasingly frequent, with 11 of 17 nonnative species first reported in the past two decades, and six of these 17 detected in only the past five years, said Reeves.
The mosquitoes Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus – among the most important disease vectors in the United States – like Culex lactator, are nonnative species, introduced from the tropics.
“Climate change may improve the chances of tropical mosquito species becoming established once they make it to Florida if the state becomes warmer,” adds Reeves. “Increasing storm frequency and intensity could also blow in more mosquitoes and other species from the Caribbean, Central America and elsewhere.
 
###
By Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
Para accesar a esta comunicación en español, por favor utilice este enlace
 
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS

Another new mosquito species has made its way across the tropics into Florida, making a permanent home in at least three counties. Scientists are concerned because of the rate of new mosquitoes arriving in Florida and the potential for them to transmit mosquito-borne diseases. A mosquito known only by its scientific name, Culex lactator, is […]

UF/IFAS study: New mosquito species reported in Florida

Disease Vectors: Invertebrates or non-human vertebrates which transmit infective organisms from one host to another.

Vectors and Vector-borne Diseases

Vectores y enfermedades transmitidas por vectores

Microscopic infectious agent that can multiply only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria, consisting of genetic material, either DNA or RNA, housed inside a capsid.

Viruses

Mosquito-borne diseases

Enfermedades Transmitidas por Mosquitos

West Nile encephalitis virus. Encephalitis caused by a virus of the Flaviviridae family. Causes West Nile fever, which is characterized by headache, fever, arthralgia, maculopapular rash, myalgia, lymphadenopathy and leukopenia. Transmitted and/or spread by mosquitoes from the genus Culex (family Culicidae).
Entry terms: Kunjin virus, West Nile flavivirus, WNV (West Nile virus), KUNV (Kunjin virus)
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West Nile Virus

Virus del oeste del Nilo 

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West Nile Virus

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Fact Sheet: West Nile virus

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