Occurrence and relative abundance of mosquitoes in stormwater retention facilities in North Carolina, USA

Throughout the 2004 mosquito season, 52 stormwater retention facilities were sampled to characterize the seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of mosquito species in relation to the structural complexity and biological diversity of the facilities. The three different types of facilities included standard wet ponds (n = 20), innovative ponds (n = 14), and wetland ponds (n = 18). All retention structures were sampled at the beginning, middle and end of the mosquito season so that seasonal changes in mosquito production could be characterized. Overall samplings, mosquitoes were collected from 34% of the retention structures. Fourteen species representing 7 genera were collected, but only 5 species (Culex erraticus, Cx. territans, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, An. punctipennis and Uranotaenia sapphirina) were commonly collected in all three types of stormwater management facilities. In general, the seasonal prevalence and relative abundance of mosquito species did not vary among three types of retention structures. A significant association (P < 0.01) between the presence of mosquito larvae or pupae and the absence of mosquitofish was found for innovative and wetland stormwater retention facilities but not for standard retention facilities (P > 0.05).