The Seasonal Pattern of Aedes albopictus in a Low Deciduous Forest in Yucatan, Mexico.

The distribution of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Asian tiger mosquito, Diptera: Culicidae) in Mexico has been documented, and we expanded this knowledge by evaluating the seasonality and bioclimatic conditions necessary for this pest to survive. We installed artificial containers under trees or rocks to monitor the mosquito for 48 weeks (January to December 2020) in a low deciduous forest in Yucatan, Mexico. The presence of predators within the breeding sites was recorded. The binary logistic regression model (BLRM) was used to analyze the relationship between Ae. albopictus and bioclimatic variables. We evaluated the spatial variation of aridity in Yucatan State using the De Martonne aridity index (IDM) to determine the gradients of drought in the region. A total of 2,492 Ae. albopictus immatures were recorded, and 85.5% were larvae and 14.5% pupae. The likelihood of the infestation of containers by an immature mosquito was 2.33, 1.84, and 1.44 times higher during the rainy season, under the Bromelia karatas plant and semi-dark water. Predators (frog tadpole of Scinax staufferi and larvae of the mosquito Toxorhynchites moctezuma) in the containers influenced the decrease in the abundance of Ae. albopictus. The IDM's spatial distribution indicated moderate aridity in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]