Distribution Of Aedes Albopictus Mosquitoes In An Inland Climate Mountain Area, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Abstract:
Nagano Prefecture, an inland climate mountain area of Japan, extends widely north and south, and the altitude varies greatly with the location. Mosquitoes transmitting infectious disease have a diversity of habitats in Nagano, and many species can be expected. There have been few reports about mosquito fauna, and there is little information on mosquitoes such as Aedes albopictus. In this study, we clarify the distribution patterns by investigating the fauna of mosquitoes, focusing on A. albopictus, in 8 areas (including Nagano, Ueda, Karuizawa, Matsumoto, Suwa and Okaya, Ina and Minamiminowa, Komagane and Miyata, and Iida) from July to September in 2012 and 2013. We set up CDC traps in each area and also collected mosquito larvae in temple and shrine precincts in each area. Although A. albopictus was not collected in the Karuizawa Area (altitude 950 m, annual mean air temperature 8.5° C), it was captured in the other 7 areas (annual mean air temperature 11.2 to 13.1° C). Kobayashi et al. (2002) reported that A. albopictus can inhabit areas with an annual mean air temperature above 11.0° C, and our results agreed with theirs.