Winter Survival of Culex pipiens f. pipiens Adults in Central Greece

Winter survival consists a major component of insect vectors life history in temperate environments that is directly related with early and later population growth next season with major consequences in the epidemiology of vectored diseases. The common European mosquito Culex pipiens is a major vector of the West Nile Virus (WNV) in Europe, including Greece. West Nile Virus outbreaks are frequently reported in Greece over the last 2 decades and Thessaly, Central Greece, is included in the affected areas. Here we report on overwintering trials conducted in three regions of Thessaly to investigate the overwintering dynamics of the subspecies of the Cx. pipiens complex, Cx. pipiens f. pipiens. Two overwintering experiments regarding adults of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens carried out in two coastal areas of Thessaly (Nea Anchialos and Volos) and an inland area (Kalamaki). Results demonstrated the successful overwintering of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens females, as well as the failure of males to survive in all three regions considered. Successful overwintering females were capable of initiating egg laying following a blood meal in spring onsetting the first summer generation. Nonetheless, mortality patterns differ between the coastal and the inland area as well as among different cohorts of adults.