Surveying mosquito distribution in BC and Yukon Territory in a changing climate

Mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest animals due to the pathogens they spread, and these insects are found in a wide variety of habitats, from the tropics to the arctic, from sea level to the alpine, and in heavily disturbed urban environments and intact old-growth forests.

There are currently 51 species of mosquito reported from British Columbia, and 33 from the Yukon. However, there are large gaps in our knowledge about the distribution of both indigenous and invasive mosquitoes in northern and rural parts of British Columbia and the Yukon, including for important vector species. If we are to accurately predict where arbovirus transmission will occur, currently or under future climate change scenarios, we need a more accurate grasp of where established vectors occur and may expand to. Here we summarize existing knowledge about the mosquitoes of British Columbia and the Yukon, review recent work and efforts to expand on this knowledge, and discuss its significance to public and environmental health as well as highlight several aspects of what the future may hold.

Dr. Dan Peach
College of Veterinary Medicine and Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia

Dan is an Assistant Professor in Vector Ecology and Infectious Disease in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Savannah River Ecology Lab at the University of Georgia. Dan’s research investigates mosquito ecology, systematics, and biogeography, including topics such as mosquito pollination, the development of mosquito traps, and habitat modelling. He is also President of the Biological Survey of Canada and a Director of the Entomological Society of British Columbia.

Danica Shannon
University of British Columbia

Danica is a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in Honours Animal Biology at the University of British Columbia. Currently, she is involved in vector ecology research at the Ben Matthews Lab, looking at salinity tolerance and behavioral genetics in the Aedes aegypti mosquito. In her free time, Danica volunteers at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum on campus, watches movies, and listens to her favourite infectious disease podcast.