Overwintering Biology of Culex Pipiens Linnaeus (Culicidae) in East-Central Illinois

Culex pipiens was the only species collected from the Champaign-Urbana, overwintering site. Temperature was the key factor in resting site choice by these females, with most found in the coldest areas of the site throughout the overwintering season. Furthermore, results suggested that temperature affected both follicle state and the quantity and quality of depot fats in overwintering females. The general trend in mean primary follicle lengths of females collected from the site was an increase in size from November to March. However, significant decreases in follicle length from January to February were noted for females collected from the coldest area of the site, corresponding to significant temperature decreases in this area during that time. Culex pipiens collected from October to January had very similar mean total fat values with only the value for March significantly less than values of females collected during previous months. Total fat values for mosquitoes collected from the warmest and coldest sections during January, February, and March were not significantly different. However, the results showed that females from the coldest area of the site lost their initial fat reserves at a slower rate than those collected from the warmest area. Gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) showed the primary fatty acid in these females was the monounsaturate palmitoleic acid. Mosquitoes collected from the coldest section of the site in January had a greater mean percentage of palmitoleic acid than those collected from the warmest area. This suggested that, while females from the different sections had similar mean amounts of fat during this month, the qualities of their fat reserves were different.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Entomology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• McClellan, Karen Rebecca

Contributors dc:contributor

• Novak, Robert J.

• Biology, Entomology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9971131

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/86483