The species composition and seasonal distribution of mosquitoes in vernal pools in suburban Montreal, Quebec.

A study was conducted in the spring and summer of 1998 to determine the invertebrate community in vernal pools on the western portion of the Island of Montreal. This paper examines the mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) found in 10 pools. Fifteen species in 4 genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Ochlerotatus) were collected and the seasonal distribution of each species was determined. Ochlerotatus stimulans was the most abundant species. Two peaks occurred in larval abundance, in late April and early July. Larvae were more abundant in the spring; larval density was higher later in the summer. The abundance of mosquitoes in these pools was similar to those found in remote regions of the province.