87 - Oviposition rates and diversity differences in container breeding mosquitoes of La Crosse, WI

Many species of container breeding mosquitoes will use multiple types of containers as sites of oviposition. These may include tires, plastic containers, and natural sources such as tree holes. The availability of artificial and natural oviposition sites may vary with habitat. Forested sites may contain more natural sites for oviposition while urban areas may contain more artificial sites. These differences may also affect the diversity of mosquitoes in each habitat. In 2023, I set out to determine how oviposition rates and diversity differed in forested and urban areas in the city of La Crosse. I set oviposition traps in three sites within La Crosse and three sites in forests surrounding the city. I collected 8,976 eggs across all traps and identified hatched larvae to determine whether there had been any habitat partitioning between native container breeding species and the invasive Aedes japonicus.