Optimization of artificial membrane feeding system for lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), and experimental infection with Rickettsia amblyommatis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae).

With the introduction of siliconized artificial membranes, various artificial feeding systems (AFS) for hard ticks (Ixodidae) have been developed over the last decades. Most AFS utilize similar core components but employ diverse approaches, materials, and experimental conditions. Published work describes different combinations of the core components without experimental optimizations for the artificial feeding of different tick species.

Evaluation of An Aerial Application of Duet Hd® Against Aedes Dorsalis and Culex Tarsalis in Rural Habitats of the Great Salt Lake, Utah.

The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District (SLCMAD) has been conducting aerial applications using an organophosphate insecticide against adult mosquitoes for several decades. In order to evaluate a potential rotation product, aerial applications of Duet HD™, a pyrethroid, were conducted under operational conditions against wild populations of Aedes dorsalis and Culex tarsalis and against colony strains of Cx. pipiens and Cx.

Microhabitat modeling of the invasive Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) in New Jersey, USA.

The Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is a vector of multiple arboviral and bacterial pathogens in its native East Asia and expanded distribution in Australasia. This species has both bisexual and parthenogenetic populations that can reach high population densities under favorable conditions. Established populations of parthenogenetic H.

Evaluation of an open forecasting challenge to assess skill of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease prediction.

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the continental USA. WNV occurrence has high spatiotemporal variation, and current approaches to targeted control of the virus are limited, making forecasting a public health priority. However, little research has been done to compare strengths and weaknesses of WNV disease forecasting approaches on the national scale.

Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery.

The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum L., is a three-host hard tick notorious for aggressive feeding behavior. In the early to mid-20th century, this species' range was mostly limited to the southern USA.

Rapid invasion and expansion of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) into a new area on Long Island, New York, USA.

Since its discovery in the United States in 2017, the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) has been detected in most eastern states between Rhode Island and Georgia. Long Island, east of New York City, a recognized high-risk area for tick-borne diseases, is geographically close to New Jersey and New York sites where H. longicornis was originally found.

Mosquito Surveillance for West Nile Virus.

Identifying the mosquitoes responsible for transmitting human disease-causing pathogens is of critical importance for effective control of mosquito-borne outbreaks. West Nile virus is often transferred by adult female mosquitoes in the genus Culex, which deposit eggs in a variety of aquatic habitats throughout the world. Herein we describe several methodological approaches to monitor these species in nature, as well as offering details for data collection and analysis.

Field applications of granular and liquid pyrethroids, carbaryl, and IGRs to control the asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) and impacts on nontarget invertebrates.

Few documented control strategies exist for the invasive tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, despite its potential to reach extremely high numbers and vector human and animal pathogens. In 2020, we evaluated the effects of single applications of five granular and liquid acaricides on H. longicornis in a public park in northern New Jersey.

Laboratory evaluation of sugar alcohols for control of mosquitoes and other medically important flies.

Insecticide application for vector control is the most controversial component of a public health program due to concerns about environmental and human health safety. One approach to overcome this challenge is the use of environmentally benign active ingredients. Among the most promising emerging strategies are attractive toxic sugar baits.

The Original Scientific Description of the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum, Acari: Ixodidae) and Implications for the Species' Past and Future Geographic Distributions.

Amblyomma americanum L. is an important vector in North America originally described by Linnaeus based on Pehr Kalm's 1754 report. While Kalm's 'Travels into North America' is well known, his 1754 report remains obscure.

A proposed framework for the development and qualitative evaluation of West Nile virus models and their application to local public health decision-making.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a globally distributed mosquito-borne virus of great public health concern. The number of WNV human cases and mosquito infection patterns vary in space and time. Many statistical models have been developed to understand and predict WNV geographic and temporal dynamics.

Heterodissemination: precision insecticide delivery to mosquito larval habitats by cohabiting vertebrates.

Conventional larvicide delivery strategies originally developed for permanent and floodwater mosquitoes have proved suboptimal in the small, scattered, and cryptic larval habitats preferred by container-inhabiting Aedes mosquitoes. New methods such as autodissemination, wherein adult mosquitoes spread insecticides to their own larval habitats, have been under study. Another novel delivery method termed heterodissemination, i.

InsectChange: a global database of temporal changes in insect and arachnid assemblages.

Insects are the most ubiquitous and diverse group of eukaryotic organisms on Earth, forming a crucial link in terrestrial and freshwater food webs. They have recently become the subject of headlines because of observations of dramatic declines in some places. Although there are hundreds of long-term insect monitoring programs, a global database for long-term data on insect assemblages has so far remained unavailable.

A case of pediatric northern black widow spider (Latrodectus variolus) bite in New York, USA.

Black widow spiders (Latrodectus spp.) are generally perceived as inhabiting southern or western United States. However, some species, such as the northern black widow, Latrodectus variolus, are also found in more temperate regions of USA and adjacent Canada.

Serologic Survey of Mosquito-Borne Viruses in Hunter-Harvested White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), New York State.

Sera from white-tailed deer (WTD, Odocoileus virginianus) hunter-harvested throughout New York State (NYS), 2007-2015, were tested by plaque reduction neutralization for antibodies against nine mosquito-borne viruses from the families Peribunyaviridae, Flaviviridae, and Togaviridae. Overall, 76.1% (373/490) of sampled WTD were seropositive against at least one virus, and 38.

Emerging tick-borne pathogens of public health importance: a mini-review.

Ticks are the most important vectors of human pathogens, leading to increased public health burdens worldwide. Tick-borne pathogens include viruses (e.g.

Large-Scale Operational Pyriproxyfen Autodissemination Deployment to Suppress the Immature Asian Tiger Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations.

Effective suppression of container-inhabiting Asian Tiger [Aedes albopictus (Skuse)] (Diptera: Culicidae) and yellow fever [Aedes aegypti (L.)] (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes presents one of the most intractable problems for modern mosquito control. Traditional tools often fail to control populations of these mosquito species, and are prohibitively expensive or have negative environmental impacts.

Behavior manipulation of mosquitoes by a mermithid nematode.

We examined manipulation of mosquito behavior by the parasitic mermithid nematode, Strelkovimermis spiculatus. This nematode species typically infects early instar host larvae and emerges after parasitic development to kill last-instar larvae. Parasitized adults, however, have occasionally been reported from field collections.

West Nile Virus Mosquito Vectors in North America.

In North America, the geographic distribution, ecology, and vectorial capacity of a diverse assemblage of mosquito species belonging to the genus Culex determine patterns of West Nile virus transmission and disease risk. East of the Mississippi River, mostly ornithophagic Culex pipiens L. complex mosquitoes drive intense enzootic transmission with relatively small numbers of human cases.

Malaria and Lyme disease - the largest vector-borne US epidemics in the last 100 years: success and failure of public health.

Malaria and Lyme disease were the largest vector-borne epidemics in recent US history. Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease with intense transmission, had higher morbidity and mortality, whereas Lyme and other tick-borne diseases are more persistent in the environment. The responses to these two epidemics were markedly different.

Timing of Lambda-Cyhalothrin and Pyriproxyfen Barrier Treatments for Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Management.

Barrier applications, treating vegetation and other potential mosquito resting areas with residual pesticides, have become standard practice for commercial pest management professionals offering mosquito control services. These treatments are generally effective in reducing numbers of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse). In the temperate climates, adult Ae.

Modeling the Asian Longhorned Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) Suitable Habitat in North America.

Asian longhorned or bush tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann) is a vector species of considerable medical and veterinary importance within its native range in East Asia, and in introduced areas of Australia and Oceania. Recently, this tick species was detected in several regions of the United States. This study aimed at modeling areas suitable for H.

Identification of Novel Viruses in , , and Ticks.

Ticks carry a wide range of known human and animal pathogens and are postulated to carry others with the potential to cause disease. Here we report a discovery effort wherein unbiased high-throughput sequencing was used to characterize the virome of 2,021 ticks, including ( 1,138), ( 720), and ( 163), collected in New York, Connecticut, and Virginia in 2015 and 2016. We identified 33 viruses, including 24 putative novel viral species.

Evaluation of Lambda-Cyhalothrin and Pyriproxyfen Barrier Treatments for Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Management in Urbanized Areas of New Jersey.

Mosquito control programs in the United States are still searching for best management practices to control the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse; Diptera: Culicidae). Most intervention methods for this species are either labor intensive (e.g.