Page 20 - Volume 5, Issue 2, July 2012
Basic HTML Version
© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
1
Laboratory of Biological Control of Pesticides, Benaki
Phytopathological Institute, 8 St. Delta Str., GR-145 61
Kifissia (Athens), Greece
2
Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomolo-
gy, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str.,
GR-118 55, Athens, Greece
3
Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Department
of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phy-
topathological Institute, 8 St. Delta Str., GR-145 61 Ki-
fissia (Athens), Greece
4
Laboratory of Informatics, Division of Informatics,
Mathematics and Statistics, Agricultural University of
Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-118 55 Athens, Greece
5
Prefecture of Attica, Parks and Landscaping Directo-
rate, 4 Evelpidon Str., GR-113 62 Athens, Greece
Corresponding author:
Hellenic Plant Protection Journal
5:
49-56, 2012
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Records of
Aedes albopictus
and
Aedes cretinus
(Diptera: Culicidae) in Greece from 2009 to 2011
Α.K. Giatropoulos
1,2
, A.Ν. Michaelakis
3
, G.Th. Koliopoulos
1
and C.M. Pontikakos
4,5
Summary
Aedes
(
Stegomyia
)
albopictus,
an invasive mosquito species of great medical importance,
was first recorded in Athens, Greece, in 2008. Its presence raised awareness among people and as a
consequence numerous “tiger-like” mosquito specimens were sent to Benaki Phytopathological Insti-
tute for identification and relevant information. The results of the adult mosquito specimens, collected
for three years (2009-2011), revealed that
Aedes albopictus
occurs in many municipalities around Ath-
ens, in Attica Prefecture, and in many parts of the country. The mosquito samples confirmed also the
presence of the native species
Aedes
(
Stegomyia
)
cretinus
. Our data, based on people awareness and an-
noyance, suggest the need to implement appropriate surveillance programs for monitoring the pres-
ence and population densities of
Stegomyia
mosquitoes in the frame of an integrated mosquito con-
trol program.
Additional key words: Aedes albopictus
,
Aedes cretinus
, Attica, Greece,
Stegomyia
including Italy (1990), France (2000), Switzer-
land (2003), Spain (2004), Croatia (2004) and
the Netherlands (2005) (24), with Italy to be
considered the most heavily infested Euro-
pean country nowadays (8).
The geographic position and climat-
ic conditions of Greece have been consid-
ered highly suitable for a potential invasion
and establishment of Asian tiger mosquito
(15, 18). Hence,
Ae. albopictus
was first de-
tected in Greece in the North-western part
of the country near Albania and Italy in the
Prefectures of Thesprotia and Corfu in 2003
(22). Subsequently, it was found in northern
Greece in the Prefecture of Serres in 2007
(25) and the following year in central-west
Greece in Aitoloakarnania Prefecture (16).
Aedes albopictus
is an anthropophilic
species that causes serious nuisance prob-
lems and can play an important role in the
transmission of a wide range of human
pathogens. This mosquito is a laboratory-
competent vector of at least 22 arboviruses,
notably Dengue virus, the most important
arboviral disease in humans (13). The recent
cases of autochthonous transmission of
The Asian tiger mosquito
Aedes
(
Stegomyia
)
albopictus
(Skuse 1894) is a species native to
tropical and subtropical regions of South-
East Asia, which has undergone an aston-
ishing expansion of its range within the last
few decades (3, 9). The international trade
of used tires has primarily facilitated
Ae. al-
bopictus
spread around the world via trans-
portation of its eggs (14).
In Europe, it was recorded for the first
time in Albania in 1979 (1). Ever since the spe-
cies has been reported in 11 other countries,
