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Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Mosquitoes--Iowa--Black Hawk County; Insects--Collection and preservation; Mosquitoes; Mosquitoes--Behavior; Iowa--Black Hawk County;

Abstract

During the summer of 1972, eighteen species of mosquitoes were collected in Black Hawk Park, Cedar Falls, Iowa, using a New Jersey light trap, a Communicable Disease Center (CDC) miniature light trap baited with dry ice, an unbaited Malaise trap and a biting collection. Collections were made concurrently with the dual purpose of investigating trap biases for various species of mosquitoes captured and analyzing the effects of temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, barometric pressure, light intensity, and moonphase on the flight activity of female Aedes vexans (Meigen). The New Jersey light trap and the CDC miniature light trap baited with dry ice collected the widest spectrum of mosquito species. The Malaise trap was selective to species of the genera Aedes and Culex. The biting collection contained species Anopheles punctipennis (Say) / and Psorophora horrida (Dyar and Knab) in addition to representatives of Aedes. The most significant factors affecting the flight activity of A. vexans (Meigen) were temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, light intensity, and moonphase. Barometric pressure had little, if any, influence on the activity of this mosquito. Due to the high level of variance observed with respect to trap collections and weather data, it is recommended that further monitoring of weather conditions and mosquito activity be continued to clarify the trends identified in this investigation.

Year of Submission

1974

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Biology

First Advisor

A. C. Haman

Second Advisor

Jack D. Wilkinson

Third Advisor

Wayne A. Rowley

Comments

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Date Original

1974

Object Description

1 PDF file (65 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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