Introduction
In regions with a temperate or cold climate, like Greece, mosquitoes have developed
a variety of overwintering mechanisms that, depending on the species, may include
the egg, larval, adult or more than one developmental stage [1-4]. Several factors,
most importantly low temperatures and precipitation are those that determine the
duration of the overwintering period and may vary for a given species depending on
latitude [5-8]. Usually, winter temperatures in cooler temperate areas do not allow
breeding and population growth of mosquitoes. This fact, combined with the high
mortality rates observed during the cold months may result in a dramatic decline in
populations that onset the first spring generation. From an epidemiological point of
view, the proportion of a vector mosquito population that will successfully overwinter
is of particular importance, as the initiation and development of the spring generation
will depend on it [5]. Moreover, the overwintering of mosquitoes’ vectors is important
not only for their population biology but also for the evolvement of associated
diseases [3,9]. For example, the persistence of certain pathogens in overwintering
mosquitoes may contribute in maintaining the transmission cycle each year, rendering
the disease endemic [10,11].
West Nile virus (WNV, family: Flaviviridae) is currently the most important mosquito-
borne pathogen spreading in Europe [12,13]. Data on overwintering of WNV in
mosquitoes are crucial for understanding WNV circulation [14]. In temperate regions,
most species of mosquitoes are subject to facultative diapause initiated by a decrease
in day length and temperature, which results in the interruption of transmission cycles
of mosquito-borne pathogens during winter [2,9]. The mosquito Culex pipiens
(Diptera: Culicidae) is of growing concern, as it is considered the main vector of WNV
in Europe [6,11,15] including Greece [16-18]. This species includes two distinct forms,
known as “pipiens” (Linnaeus, 1758) and “ molestus” (Forskål, 1775), which can form
hybrids [7,19,20]. The two forms are morphologically identical but display important
differences in their behaviour and physiology. One of the major distinctions between
the biotypes is their overwintering biology [19,21-23].
In cold, temperate regions, the ''pipiens'' form overwinters as adult inseminated
females entering into facultative reproductive diapause [2,6,24,25]. The factors
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
responsible for the induction of female diapause are the low autumn temperatures
combined with reduced photophase affecting the last larval stages (3rd and 4th) and
the pupa [26,27]. In contrast, males do not enter diapause and do not survive the
winter [23,27].
Dormant females are characterized by the absence of host search for blood meals and
feed on “sugary” plant secretions, building up rich fat body reserves just before inhabit
overwintering sites [27]. Feeding females with a 10% sugar solution for 7 to 10 days is
sufficient to build up fat reserves [25]. Sites that remain frost-free during the winter
such as caves, barns, underground storage facilities, channels and cracks in the ground
are selected by adult mosquitoes as hibernating shelters. Although dormant
individuals of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens do not exhibit host-seeking behavior, some females
may be motivated and receive a blood meal when in close proximity to a host for a
period of time [28], using the blood to build body fat rather than for ovarian
development [29,30]. These blood meals are not useful to diapausing females either
for body fat production or for ovarian development as they were found to be
significantly inferior in quantity compared to non-diapause counterparts [25]. The
ambient conditions (e.g. temperature, relative humidity) of the overwintering habitats
may vary a great deal and determine female survival rates. For example, in cool and
humid habitats with low fluctuation, females may remain at the same spot for weeks
reserving precious stored energetic metabolites. In contrast, in more exposed to
external conditions shelters, during the warmer hours of the day females may forage
for sugar food or seek more appropriate overwintering places and activity that can risk
survival and reduce longevity [1,2,6,9,19]. As soon as temperature increases in the
spring, females abandon overwintering sites and forage for blood meals in appropriate
hosts that assures egg maturation and oviposition.
In contrast to the above, Cx. pipiens f. molestus appears to be a taxon adapted to
warmer climates and individuals of this form remain active during winter and can
reproduce as long as temperatures allow (≥10 ºC) in both surface and groundwater,
mainly in groundwater [20,31,32]. At present, Cx. pipiens s.s. biotypes are regarded as
distinct monophyletic evolutionary units [33-35]. As the biotype “pipiens” is usually
found in aboveground habitats, while the biotype “molestus” is exclusively found in
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
urban, below ground habitats, populations of both biotypes were considered
genetically isolated in the northern regions [23 24,34,36-38]. However, despite their
ecological and behavioural differences, “pipiens” and “molestus” occur sympatrically
above ground in many European regions, and may interbreed to produce ‘hybrids’
where their distributions overlap [32,34,37,39].
We investigated the overwintering capacity of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens in three selected
regions of Thessaly and in various habitats. We therefore aimed to quantify survival
throughout the autumn and winter months, to define when they terminated diapause
and start blood feeding in the spring and also to determine the impact of
overwintering on vector competence of emerging Cx. pipiens mosquitoes for WNV.
Materials and methods
Study areas and mosquito colonies
The overwintering experiments considering Cx. pipiens f. pipiens individuals were
carried out in the area of Thessaly, central Greece, where three locations were chosen:
(a) the village of Kalamaki on the mainland, adjacent to Lake Karla, (b) the town of Nea
Anchialos, a coastal region and (c) Volos, the coastal port city of Thessaly (Fig. 1).
Experiment 1 carried out in Nea Anchialos and Kalamaki in 2012-2013, while
Experiment 2 took place in Volos, aiming to study in addition the possible effect of
organic matter (as a food source) accumulating in the waters of the shelters during
overwintering. In particular, overwintering adults were provided with either plain
water (Treatment A) or plain water + organic water (a vial containing liquids/juices
collected from a composting bin) (Treatment B).
The adult mosquitoes used in the overwintering experiments came from egg rafts that
had been laid by laboratory-reared adults of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens. Colonization took
place within the insectary of the laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology at
the University of Thessaly, Greece.
The experimental procedure performed in this study included the following steps:
hatching of Cx. pipiens eggs, development of immature stages to the adult stage,
overwintering of adults in cages, which underwent three treatments, provision of
blood meal to adult females and oviposition.
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
Experimental procedures
The rafts of eggs (~70) that were collected in the laboratory were transferred to a
plastic container with 12 L of water and artificial food (Purina Adult cat food, Friskies)
in a protected from rain outdoor sites of the Department of Agriculture, Crop
Protection and Rural Environment at University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece.
During the development of the immature stages, both water and food were renewed
at regular intervals, ensuring that the conditions were suitable until pupation. At the
completion of development, 100 pupae, of both sexes, were transferred to plastic
containers with 250 ml of water and placed in 20x20x20cm, Plexiglass cages until the
emergence of adults.
Adults were transferred in a heated storage room (15 ± 2 oC) with natural lighting
conditions and offered a 10% sugar solution during the first 10-12 days of life in order
to build up the necessary adipose tissue reserves for overwintering and mating. After
this period, the sugar solutions in the cages were replaced with plain water and then
the cages were transferred to the overwintering sites. Five cages (500 adults in total)
were transported to Kalamaki and Nea Anchialos on 30/12/2012 and 4/1/2013
respectively, and placed in moist and dark storage areas protected from rain and wind.
Ten cages (1000 adults in total) that were placed to Volos on 1/12/2013 were
randomly assigned to one of the following twotreatments: (a) five cages were
provided with plain water (egg hatching 1/10/2013), (b) five cages with plainwater and
plain water + organic water (egg hatching 1/10/2013). Treatment C was the same as
Treatment A, entered later on the experimental procedure (egg hatching 15/10/2013)
as a control.
In both experiments, at the end of the winter period (first two weeks of March), a 10%
sugar solution was once again placed in the cages and then they transferred back to
the semi-outdoor area of the Agricultural School at the University of Thessaly. This
procedure took place on 7/3/2013 in Kalamaki, on 14/3/2013 in Nea Anchialos, and
on 19/3/2014 in Volos.
The surviving (overwintering) females from Kalamaki and Nea Anchialos, were pooled
in two cages and offered a two-hour blood meal via a special device for this purpose,
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
on 11/4/2013. From 20/4/20213 to 22/4/2013 plastic containers with 250 ml of water
were placed in the two cages (one from each overwintering location) for the females
to lay their eggs. The overwintering females in Volos were provided with a blood meal
on 23/4/2014 while the oviposition took place on 28/4/20214.
Survival of adults in the different treatments was recorded at regular intervals and
dead individuals were removed from the cages. The deposited egg rafts were
examined under the stereoscope to determine hatch.
Meteorological data
The temperatures that prevailed throughout the experimental study, from the
development of the immature stages to the oviposition of the females that survived
in the three locations, were recorded with the help of special electronic devices
(HOBO, Onset, USA), and are given in the following Figs 2-4. Figures include also
information regarding the exposure period of adults in the overwintering sites as well
as feeding and oviposition opportunities.
Statistical analysis
The Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test was used to compare the survival times
between males and females. Cox regression was employed to examine whether the
sex of adults and the overwintering site were significant predictors of adult mortality
rates. R version 4.3.2 (The R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria) was
used for data analysis. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results
Winter survival of Culex pipiens f. pipiens in Kalamaki and Nea
Anchialos
The average daily temperatures that prevailed in Nea Anchialos and Kalamaki during
the experiment, from the development of the immature stages to the oviposition of
the females that survived, are shown in Figs 2 and 3 respectively. In both areas
temperatures were rather high until end of December and the cold period (winter)
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
started in the beginning of January. Temperature increased in the beginning of March
marking the end of winter period. Although comparable, winter temperatures were
lower in the continental area of Kalamaki compared to Nea Anchialos. A total of 450
adults (90 per cage; 173 females, i.e. 38.95% of exposed individuals) were transported
and exposed to winter conditions of Kalamaki, as determined at the end of the
experimental procedure considering also accidental loses. The corresponding
parameters for Nea Anchialos were 456 adults (91.2 per cages; 294 females, i.e.
64.65% of the exposed individuals). In both sites males did not manage to survive until
the end of the cold season (early to mid-March) (S1 Fig). Higher survival rates for males
were recorded in Kalamaki compared to Nea Anchialos. In Nea Anchialos, the
mortality of females during the winter was progressive (S1 Fig). On the contrary, the
survival of females in Kalamaki was particularly high until 26/2, followed by a
significant decline after that date (S1 Fig). The addition of sugar solution with the rise
in temperatures resulted in the stabilization of female mortality in both cases. At the
start of oviposition (20/4) the average percentage of females that finally survived in
Kalamaki and Nea Anchialos reached 23.85% (44 individuals in total) and 25.26% (76
individuals in total) respectively. Of these females, 52.27 and 47.37% oviposited
respectively, while 95.65% and 91.67% of the laid egg rafts hatched.
Mortality rates of males and females at Kalamaki and Nea Anchialos were compared
with the Kaplan Meir curves and the Cox proportion hazard model. Overall, and in
both locations, male longevity was shorter than that of females with males failing to
overwinter (Fig 5; p < 0.01). The hazard ratio of males compared to females was 12.9
(95%CI: 9.69, 17.2) in Kalamaki and 78.9 (95%CI: 47.4, 131.0) in Nea Anchialos.
Cox regression analysis considering location of exposure, sex and their interaction as
predictors revealed that males have a significant higher hazard rate compared to
females (p < 0.001), adjusted for location, and mortality rates were higher in Kalamaki
compared to Nea Anchialos (p < 0.001) (Fig 6, S2 Fig). Overall hazard rates considering
both males and females were similar between the two locations ( p = 0.425). The
significant interaction between sex and location is associated with higher mortality
rates for males in Nea Anchialos compared to Kalamaki. Comparing survival patterns
of females in the two location no significant differences were found (Fig 6; Log-rank
test, p = 0.16).
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
Winter survival of Culex pipiens f. pipiens in Volos
The average daily temperatures that prevailed in Volos, during the overwintering
experiment are shown in Fig 4. The temperature drop in the beginning of December
marks the onset of winter while the increase in middle March the end. The total
number of adults exposed to winter conditions was 482 (average per cage 96.4; 371
females, i.e. 76.9%), 475 (average per cage 95; 349 females, i.e. 73.5%) and 509
(average per cage 101.8; 388 females, i.e. 76.2%) for the treatments A, B and C
respectively. In all three treatments male survival rates were much lower than that of
females and no male survived after the end of December to reach the end of the
winter period. Details of female and male survival patterns in each cage are given in
S3 Fig. Among cage variation was low in treatment A and B and quite higher in
treatment C. Overall, at the end of the winter period 9.42, 15.7 and 12.44% of the
females managed to survive in treatments A, B and C respectively. Among cage
variation in male survival was minimal within the same treatment and overall survival
patterns among treatments negligible as well (S4Fig). Comparing the survival rates of
the two sexes of Cx. pipiens, the ability of females (S5a Fig) to overwinter in all three
treatments and the inability of males (S5b Fig) to survive was evident. In all three
treatments provision of sugar solution on 16/3/2014 reduced mortality rates. At the
start of oviposition (28/4) in treatment A, treatment B and treatment C, the number
of females alive was 35, 53, and 48, of which 13, 25, and 10 oviposited, with the
oviposition rate reaching 37.14, 47.17, and 20.83% respectively.
Kaplan Meir analysis followed by the long-rank test revealed the higher mortality of
males compared to that of females within each treatment (Fig 7, p < 0.01). Cox
regression analysis including treatment, sex and their interaction as predictors
confirmed the overall higher hazard rates for males compared to females ( p < 0.001)
and differences among the three treatments (Fig 8). The hazard ratio of treatment B
and C compared to baseline A was slightly but significantly lower, and higher
respectively (Fig 8; p < 0.05). The interaction between sex and treatment was not
significant. Kaplan Meir analysis comparing survival patterns of the three female
groups followed by the log-rank test revealed significant differences among the three
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
treatments (p 0.05).
Result
in the depletion of lipid reserves in female Cx. pipiens f. pipiens. For a better
understanding of the dynamics of mosquito populations after winter and the way in
which arboviruses survive in temperate regions, it would be of interest to explore
which are the preferred hibernation sites and the determinants of winter survival in
these sites [9,43]. Temperature plays an important role in whether mosquito vectors
can overwinter in a given area, thus facilitating their establishment in new areas [44],
whereas temperature variation can also affect disease transmission [45]. On the other
hand, regarding the longevity of populations, Ciota et al. observed that the longevity
of field populations tended to be longer than that of laboratory populations [46].
Under simulated field conditions, Abouzied noticed that female Cx. pipiens
mosquitoes, in the winter/spring season survived for an average of 120 days, while in
the summer/autumn season they survived for an average of 80 days, significantly
exceeding the relative constant temperatures [47]. Data from the study of Spanoudis
et al. indicated that certain biological parameters of Cx. pipiens f. molestus differ when
measured at constant and fluctuating temperatures, highlighting the importance of
testing fluctuating temperatures that simulate field conditions [48].
Understanding the environmental determinants of Cx. pipiens diversity is important
because it can help us predict changes under future climate and land use regimes [49].
The longevity of adult Cx. pipiens has a negative correlation with temperature within
the upper and lower survival limits. Warmer winters may expand the latitudinal zone
within which “molestus” can survive aboveground, increasing hybridization between
ecotypes in northern areas where they currently remain distinct. Such changes would
be invisible at the morphological level, but nevertheless have potential consequences
for disease transmission [37]. Climate change is considered to be a significant key
factor that contributes to the global spread of mosquito-borne diseases. The rise of
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
the median winter temperatures has been shown to extend host seeking and
oviposition behavior in Cx. pipiens favouring overwintering of the virus in contrast to
previous decades. Lower annual average winter and higher spring and summer
temperatures have been linked to an increased risk of epidemic outbreaks [50,51].
Mosquito populations employ a diversity of overwintering mechanisms to better to
withstand the consequences of climate change, such as sudden periods of unusually
cold weather and decreased winter rainfall [51].
In the future, WNV and other flaviviruses that have significantly extended their
distribution are predicted to become an increasing burden for public health systems
[50]. The overwintering strategies could be used to design control approaches during
the winter, as they would prevent the occurrence of high mosquito population in
summer. A new approach to effectively control mosquitoes before they are capable
of transmitting deadly pathogens to birds, humans and other animals, could
potentially be provided by targeted pesticide applications in early spring [21,43]. The
hibernating adults' sites are of high importance and should be seriously examined.
Microclimates encountered in urban areas (subways, houses) have often higher and
more stable temperatures than outdoor environments [10]. Τhe experiment of Beleri
et al. on the winter survival of adult Ae. albopictus in human made shelters, in Athens,
Greece, revealed the importance of elaborating more on gaining further insights into
winter survival of female mosquitoes [52]. Controlling the mosquito vector is an
important control approach that should be adapted to the local vector ecology,
considering the climatic conditions of microhabitats of overwintering vectors in urban
areas [53-55].
The results of the current study could provide the basis for further research on the
overwintering of mosquitoes in our country, covering a wider range of areas with
different climatic conditions. Winter survival studies of native and invasive mosquito
of medical significance will have specific importance for mitigating the disease and
nuisance burdens caused by these mosquitoes. In northern temperate climates
mosquitoes' ability to successfully overwinter is to a large extent due to their ability
to diapause [36]. A main part of these investigations should focus on areas where
disease outbreaks occur repeatedly, with special emphasis on the detection of the
WNV in overwintering mosquitoes of the genus Culex in order to elucidate the effect
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
of this parameter on the maintenance of the infection each year and to mitigate the
spread of the virus and reduce the impact of the upcoming epidemic.
Supporting information
S1 Fig. Winter survival of Culex pipiens f. pipiens in Kalamaki (a mainland village) (A)
and in Nea Anchialos (a coastal area) (B), Thessaly, 2012-2013.
S2 Fig. Kaplan Meier curves (with 95%CI) including log-rank test (shown p-value) for
the survival of females in Nea Anchialos and Kalamaki. Black dashed lines represent
the median survival for females in Nea Anchialos (66 days) and females in Kalamaki
(67 days).
S3 Fig. Survival rate of Culex pipiens f. pipiens female adults regarding treatment 1 (a),
treatment 2 (b), and treatment 3 (c), in each cage, in Volos, Thessaly, 2013-2014.
S4 Fig. Survival rate of Culex pipiens f. pipiensmale adults regarding treatment 1 (a),
treatment 2 (b), and treatment 3 (c), in each cage, in Volos, Thessaly, 2013-2014.
S5 Fig. Survival rate of Culex pipiens f. pipiens adults (a) females, (b) males, regarding
the three treatments in Volos, Thessaly, 2013-2014.
References
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
1. BeckerN, Petrić D, Zgomba M. Mosquitoes-identification, ecology and control,
3rd edn. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, 2020.
2. DenlingerDL, Armbruster PA. Molecular physiology of mosquito diapause. Adv.
Insect Phys. 2016; 51, 329–361.
3. NelmsBM, Kothera L, Thiemann T, Macedo PA, Savage HM, Reisen WK.
Phenotypic variation among Culex pipiens complex (Diptera: Culicidae) populations
from the Sacramento Valley, California: horizontal and vertical transmission of West
Nile virus, diapause potential, autogeny, and host selection. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013;
89:1168–78.
4. Bale JS, Hayward SA. Insect overwintering in a changing climate. J Exp Biol.
2010 Mar 15; 213(6):980-94.
5. Siperstein A, Pomeroy LW, Robare S, Sarko L, Dehus H, Lowmiller T, Fyie L,
Meuti ME. Characterizing seasonal changes in the reproductive activity of Culex
mosquitoes throughout the fall, winter, and spring in Ohio. Parasit Vectors. 2023 May
31; 16(1):173.
6. Rozsypal J, Moos M, Rudolf I, & Košťál V. Do energy reserves and cold hardiness
limit winter survival of Culex pipiens? Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part
A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology. 2021; 255, 110912.
7. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Culex pipiens -
Factsheet for experts. 2020. Available from:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/infectious-disease-topics/related-public-health-
topics/disease-vectors/facts/mosquito-factsheets/culex-pipiens.
8. Gill HK, Goyal G, & Chahil GS. Insect Diapause: A Review. Journal of Agricultural
Science and Technology A 7 (2017) 456-475. doi: 10.17265/2161-6256/2017.07.002.
9. Sauer FG, Timmermann E, Lange U, Lühken R, Kiel E. Effects of hibernation site,
temperature, and humidity on the abundance and survival of overwintering Culex
pipiens pipiens and Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol. 2022 16;
59: 2013-2021.
10. Bellone R, & Failloux AB. The role of temperature in shaping mosquito-borne
viruses transmission. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2020; 11.
11. Brugman VA, Hernández-Triana LM, Medlock JM, Fooks AR, Carpenter S,
Johnson N. The role of Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae) in virus transmission in
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
Europe. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018;
15(2):389.
12. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). West Nile Virus
Infection. Annual Epidemiological Report for 2019; ECDC: Stockholm, Sweden, 2021.
Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/AER-
WNVinfection 2019.pdf (accessed on 12/2/2024).
13. Vogels CBF, Hartemink N. & Koenraadt CJM. Modelling West Nile Virus
transmission risk in Europe: effect of temperature and mosquito biotypes on the basic
reproduction number. Sci Rep 7, 5022 (2017).
14. Rudolf I, Betášová L, Blažejová H, Venclíková K, Straková P, Šebesta O, Mendel
J, Bakonyi T, Schaffner F, Nowotny N, Hubálek Z. West Nile Virus in overwintering
mosquitoes, central Europe. Parasit Vectors. 2017 Oct 2;10(1):452.
15. Kang DS, Cotten MA, Denlinger DL, Sim C. Comparative transcriptomics reveals
key gene expression differences between diapausing and non-diapausing adults of
Culex pipiens. PLoS One. 2016 Apr 29;11(4): e0154892.
16. Vakali A, Beleri S, Tegos N, Fytrou A, Mpimpa A, Sergentanis TN, Pervanidou D,
Patsoula E. Entomological surveillance activities in regions in Greece: Data on
mosquito species abundance and West Nile Virus detection in Culex pipiens Pools
(2019–2020). Trop. Med. Infect. Dis., 2023:8:1.
17. Patsoula E, Beleri S, Tegos N, Mkrtsian R, Vakali A, Pervanidou D. Entomological
data and setection of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes in Greece (2014–2016), before
disease re-emergence in 2017. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2020, 20, 60–70.
18. Patsoula E, Vakali A, Balatsos G, Pervanidou D, Beleri S, Tegos N, Baka A,
Spanakos G, Georgakopoulou T, Tserkezou P, et al. West Nile Virus circulation in
mosquitoes in Greece (2010–2013). Bio Med Res. Int. 2016, 2016, 2450682.
19. Koenraadt CJM, Möhlmann TWR, Verhulst NO, Spitzen J, Vogels CBF. Effect of
overwintering on survival and vector competence of the West Nile virus vector Culex
pipiens. Parasit Vectors. 2019; Mar 27;12(1):147.
20. Becker N, Jost A, Weitzel T. The Culex pipiens complex in Europe. J Am Mosq
Control Assoc. 2012; 28:53–67.
21. Ioannou CS, Hadjichristodoulou C, Kyritsi MA, & Papadopoulos NT. Short-Term
Selection to Diflubenzuron and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis differentially
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
affects the winter survival of Culex pipiens f. pipiens and Culex pipiens f. molestus
(Diptera: Culicidae). Insects. 2021; 12(6), 527.
22. Papadopoulos NT, Carey JR, Ioannou CS, Ji H, Müller H-G, Wang J-L, Luckhart S,
Lewis EE. Seasonality of post-capture longevity in a medically-important mosquito
(Culex pipiens). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 2016: 4.
23. Vinogradova EB. Culex pipiens pipiens Mosquitoes: Taxonomy, Distribution,
Ecology, Physiology, Genetics, Applied Importance and Control. Sofia Moscow:
Pensoft Publishers. 2000.
24. Dörge DD, Cunze S, Schleifenbaum H, et al. An investigation of hibernating
members from the Culex pipiens complex (Diptera, Culicidae) in subterranean habitats
of central Germany. Sci Rep10.2020; 10276.
25. Mitchell CJ, Briegel H. Inability of diapausing Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae)
to use blood for producing lipid reserves for overwinter survival. Journal of Medical
Entomology. 1989;26, 318-326.
26. Field EN, Shepard JJ, Clifton ME, Price KJ, Witmier BJ, Johnson K, Boze B,
Abadam C, Ebel GD, Armstrong PM, Barker CM, Smith RC. Semi-field and surveillance
data define the natural diapause timeline for Culex pipiens across the United States.
Commun Biol. 2022; Nov 27;5(1):1300.
27. Denlinger DL, Armbruster PA. Mosquito diapause. Annu Rev Entomol. 2014;
59:73–93.
28. Mitchell CJ. Differentiation of host-seeking behavior from blood-feeding
behavior in overwintering Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) and observations on
gonotrophic dissociation. Journal of Medical Entomology. 1983;20, 157-163.
29. Eldridge BF. Vector maintenance of pathogens in adverse environments (with
special reference to mosquito maintenance of arboviruses), 143-157. In: Vectors of
disease agents. Praeger, New York (1981).
30. Eldridge BF, Bailey CL. Experimental hibernation studies in Culex pipiens
(Diptera: Culicidae): reactivation of ovarian development and blood feeding in
prehibernating females. Journal of Medical Entomology. 1979;15, 462-467.
31. Epstein NR, Saez K, Polat A, Davis SR, Aardema ML. The urban-adapted
underground mosquito Culex pipiens form molestus maintains exogenously
influenceable circadian rhythms. J Exp Biol. 2021 May 15;224(10): jeb242231.
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
32. Vogels CBF, Van De Peppel LJJ, van Vliet AJH, Westenberg M, Ibañez Justicia A,
Stroo A, et al. Winter activity and aboveground hybridization between the two
biotypes of the West Nile virus vector Culex pipiens. Vector BorneZoonoticDis. 2015;
15:619–26.
33. Yurchenko AA, Masri RA, Khrabrova NV et al. Genomic differentiation and
intercontinental population structure of mosquito vectors Culex pipiens pipiens and
Culex pipiens molestus. Sci Rep.2020; 10, 7504.
34. Gomes B, Sousa CA, Novo MT, Freitas FB, Alves R, Côrte-Real AR, et al.
Asymmetric introgression between sympatric molestus and pipiens forms of Culex
pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Comporta region, Portugal. BMC Evol Biol. 2009;
9:1–15.
35. Vanderheyden A, Smitz N, De Wolf K, Deblauwe I, Dekoninck W, Meganck K,
Gombeer S, Vanslembrouck A, De Witte J, Schneider A, et al. DNA Identification and
Diversity of the Vector Mosquitoes Culex pipiens s.s. and Culex torrentium in Belgium
(Diptera: Culicidae). Diversity. 2022; 14(6):486.
36. Aardema Olatunji KS, Dina M Fonseca MD. The enigmatic Culex pipiens
(Diptera: Culicidae) species complex: phylogenetic challenges and opportunities from
a notoriously tricky mosquito group, Annals of the Entomological Society of America,
Volume 115, Issue 1, January 2022; Pages 95–104.
37. Haba Yuki, McBride Lindy. Origin and status of Culex pipiens mosquito
ecotypes, Current Biology, Volume 32, Issue 5, 2022; Pages R237-R246, ISSN 0960-
9822.
38. Kampen H, Tews BA, Werner D. First evidence of West Nile Virus overwintering
in mosquitoes in Germany. Viruses 2021; 13, 2463.
39. Vogels CBF, Möhlmann TWR, Melsen D, Favia G, Wennergren U, Koenraadt
CJM. Latitudinal diversity of Culex pipiens biotypes and hybrids in farm, peri-Urban,
and wetland habitats in Europe. PLoS ONE. 2016;11: e0166959.
40. Fritz ML, Walker ED, Miller JR, Severson DW, Dworkin I. Divergent host
preferences of above- and below-ground Culex pipiens mosquitoes and their hybrid
offspring. Med. Vet. Entomol. 2015; 29, 115–123.
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
41. Gomes B, Kioulos E, Papa A, Almeida APG, Vontas J, Pinto J. Distribution and
hybridization of Culex pipiens forms in Greece during the West Nile virus outbreak of
2010. Infect. Genet. Evol. 2013; 16, 218–225.
42. Ciota AT, Chin PA, Kramer LD. The effect of hybridization of Culex pipiens
complex mosquitoes on transmission of West Nile virus. Parasites Vectors. 2013; 6,
305.
43. Thareja V, Singh R. & Singha Naorem A. Some observations on overwintering
sites of adult Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) and strategies followed under
natural and seminatural conditions. Parasitol Res. 2016; 115, 195–203.
44. Thomas SM, Obermayr U, Fischer D, Kreyling J, Beierkuhnlein C. Low
temperature threshold for egg survival of a post-diapause and non-diapause European
aedine strain, Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasit Vectors. 2012; 5:100.
45. Shocket MS, Verwillow AB, Numazu MG, Slamani H, Cohen JM, El Moustaid F,
et al. Transmission of West Nile and five other temperate mosquito-borne viruses
peaks at temperatures between 23 °C and 26 °C. eLife. 2020; 9: e58511.
46. Ciota AT, Matacchiero AC, Kilpatrick AM, Kramer LD. The effect of temperature
on life history traits of Culex mosquitoes. J Med Entomol. 2014 Jan; 51(1):55-62.
47. Abouzied EM. Life table analysis of Culex pipiens under simulated weather
conditions in Egypt. J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 2017; 33:16–24.
48. Spanoudis C, Andreadis S, Tsaknis N, Petrou A, Gkeka C, and Savopoulou-
Soultani M. Effect of temperature on biological parameters of the West Nile Virus
vector Culex pipiens form ‘molestus’ (Diptera: Culicidae) in Greece: Constant vs
fluctuating temperatures. Journal of Medical Entomology. 2019; 56.
10.1093/jme/tjy224.
49. Couper LI, Farner JE, Caldwell JM, Childs ML, Harris MJ, Kirk DG, Nova N,
Shocket M, Skinner EB, Uricchio LH, et al. How will mosquitoes adapt to climate
warming? eLife. 2021; 10, e69630.
50. Kouroupis D, Charisi K, Pyrpasopoulou A. The Ongoing Epidemic of West Nile
Virus in Greece: The contribution of biological vectors and reservoirs and the
importance of climate and socioeconomic factors revisited. Tropical Medicine and
Infectious Disease. 2023; 8(9):453.
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
51. Moser SK, Barnard M, Frantz RM, Spencer JA, Rodarte KA, Crooker IK, Bartlow
AW, Romero-Severson E, Manore CA. Scoping review of Culex mosquito life history
trait heterogeneity in response to temperature. Parasit Vectors. 2023 Jun
14;16(1):200.
52. Beleri S, Balatsos G, Tegos N, Papachristos D, Mouchtouri V,
Hadjichristodoulou C, Michaelakis A, Papadopoulos NT, Patsoula E. Winter survival of
adults of two geographically distant populations of Aedes albopictus in a microclimatic
environment of Athens, Greece. Acta Trop. 2023 Apr; 240:106847.
53. Lührsen D, Zavitsanou E, Cerecedo C, Pardo-Araujo M, Palmer J, Bartumeus F,
Tomas M, Michaelakis A and Lowe R. Adult Aedes albopictus in winter: implications
for mosquito surveillance in southern Europe. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2023; 7.
e729-e731.
54. Ravasi D, Mangili F, Huber D, Cannata M, Strigaro D, Flacio E. The effects of
microclimatic winter conditions in urban areas on the risk of establishment for Aedes
albopictus. Sci Rep. 2022 Sep 24;12(1):15967.
55. Michaelakis A, Balestrino F, Becker N, Bellini R, Caputo B, Della Torre A,
Figuerola J, L'Ambert G, Petric D, Robert V, Roiz D, Saratsis A, Sousa CA, Wint WGR,
Papadopoulos NT. A Case for systematic quality management in mosquito control
programmes in Europe. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 27; 18(7):3478.
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint
.CC-BY 4.0 International licenseperpetuity. It is made available under a
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in
The copyright holder for thisthis version posted November 8, 2024. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622242doi: bioRxiv preprint