The role of tires in providing suitable oviposition sites and larval habitat for mosquitoes in Manitoba

Abstract

This research was conducted to determine the species composition and prevalence of immature mosquitoes in waste tires throughout Manitoba. Further research was done to determine if there were temporal factors, environmental factors, or tire characteristics that could predict the likelihood of finding mosquito larvae in tires. Over 95% of the larvae and egg rafts collected from tires in the two years of this study were Culex restuans. An egg raft was discovered in a tire within 24 hours of it being filled with water. Prevalence and abundance of immature mosquitoes in tires increased as the summer progressed. Tire size, and the amount of sun exposure had a significant effect on abundance and prevalence of immature mosquitoes in tires. Larger tires had significantly more immature mosquitoes and significantly more often than smaller tires. (F value 47.14, df=3, p<0.0001; x value 68.21, df=3, p<0.0001). Exposed tires contained more egg rafts than the shaded tires (p = 0.042). Stacking method affected mosquito prevalence and abundance when sampling was conducted in August. Horizontally stacked tires contained significantly fewer immature mosquitoes than either random or vertically stacked tires (p< 0.05).