Relative abundance of mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) on Big Pine Key, Florida, U.S.A.

Species diversity of mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) collections in carbon dioxide-baited light traps was investigated on Big Pine Key, Florida, from 2000 - 2004. Twenty species of mosquitoes were collected during this study, the most commonly collected being Anopheles atropos, Culex bahamensis, Deinocerites cancer, and Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus. Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus is the dominant species at this location. For most of the mosquito species, more individuals were collected during the "high season" months (June to September) than in the "low season" months (January to March). During most years more mosquito species were collected in the high season than in the low season. Rank order of species collected was significantly correlated between low and high season. Species composition at this site appears to be relatively stable from year to year and from season to season.