Vacant Lots: Productive Sites for Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Mérida City, México

• Published in: Journal of medical entomology Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 475 - 483
• Main Authors: Baak-baak, Carlos M., Arana-Guardia, Roger, Cigarroa-Toledo, Nohemi, Loroño-Pino, María Alba, Reyes-Solis, Guadalupe, Machain-Williams, Carlos, Beaty, Barry J., Eisen, Lars, García-Rejón, Julián E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Entomological Society of America 01-03-2014
• Subjects: Aedes; Aedes aegypti; Animals; Cities; containers; Culex quinquefasciatus; immature; immatures; Mexico; monitoring; Mérida; Pupa; tires; vacant lot; VECTOR–BORNE DISEASES, SURVEILLANCE, PREVENTION; vegetation; Water Quality; Yucatán; Mexico
• ISSN: 0022-2585; 1938-2928
• DOI: 10.1603/ME13209

We assessed the potential for vacant lots and other nonresidential settings to serve as source environments for Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Mérida City, México. Mosquito immatures were collected, during November 2011–June 2013, from residential premises (n = 156 site visits) and nonresidential settings represented by vacant lots (50), parking lots (18), and streets or sidewalks (28). Collections totaled 46,025 mosquito immatures of 13 species. Ae. aegypti was the most commonly encountered species accounting for 81.0% of total immatures, followed by Culexquinquefasciatus Say (12.1%). Site visits to vacant lots (74.0%) were more likely to result in collection of Ae. aegypti immatures than residential premises (35.9%). Tires accounted for 75.5% of Ae. aegypti immatures collected from vacant lots. Our data suggest that vacant lots should be considered for inclusion in mosquito surveillance and control efforts in Mérida City, as they often are located near homes, commonly have abundant vegetation, and frequently harbor accumulations of small and large discarded water-holding containers that we now have demonstrated to serve as development sites for immature mosquitoes. In addition, we present data for associations of immature production with various container characteristics, such as storage capacity, water quality, and physical location in the environment.