Parasites of the Asian tiger mosquito and other container-inhabiting mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in northcentral Florida

Seven microorganisms including 4 protozoans, 2 fungi, and a bacterium infected Aedes albopictus (Skuse) larvae collected from 12 counties in northcentral Florida. Ae. albopictus and 14 other species of mosquitoes were collected from tires, flower-holding vases in cemeteries, other types of artificial containers, and treeholes. Ascogregarina taiwanensis (Lien & Levine) was the most common parasite of Ae. albopictus throughout the year. The microsporidium Vavraia culicis (Weiser) infected Aedes aegypti (L.), Ae. albopictus, Aedes triseriatus (Say), and Orthopodomyia signifera (Coquillett). A vibrio bacterium and 2 fungi (Leptolegnia sp. and Smittium culisetae Lichtwardt), infected Ae. albopictus larvae but were observed infrequently A. taiwanensis, S. culisetae, and the vibrio bacterium previously have been reported from Ae, albopictus. This is the Ist report of the other 4 microorganisms parasitizing Ae. albopictus larvae.