LB 8-74 - A study of mosquitoes in Newfoundland and Labrador and St. Pierre and Miquelon: a citizen science approach.

Background/Question/Methods:

Climate change and anthropogenic activities impact the prevalence and distribution of viruses and mosquitoes. However, identifying mosquito species in vast geographic locations in Canada is a major challenge due to limited human and financial resources. Citizen science is believed to be an effective strategy to overcome such challenges. This study aims to explore the distribution of native and invasive mosquitoes and the existence of viral pathogens across the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and in the French overseas territory of St. Pierre and Miquelon. The study was conducted in 2018 and 2019 and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Citizen scientists were recruited by utilizing social media and by approaching school boards, municipalities, indigenous communities, and community-based organizations. The citizen scientists were mailed instructions, aspirators, collection vials, forms to record information, and self-address prepaid envelopes. Recorded information included GPS coordinates, landscape and habitat details, and collection date. The samples were mailed back to the researchers, and the mosquitoes were identified to species level if possible. The mosquito samples were then pooled (one sample or multiple per pool) and tested using PCR sequencing for various flaviviruses and California Serogroup viruses.

Results/Conclusions:

A total of 237 citizen scientists were recruited, and all except 16 of them sent mosquitoes. Five samples contained too many mosquitoes, and five samples were damaged by mould, which complicated extraction and identification; various samples also contained non-mosquito insects. Thirty-two mosquito species were identified, including three invasive species – Aedes japonicas, Aedes vexans, and Culex pipiens. Seven mosquito pools tested positive for snowshoe hare virus, and one pool was positive for Jamestown Canyon virus. No pools containing Aedes vexans and Culex pipiens showed any virus-positive, but one pool containing Aedes japonicas, among other native species, was positive for snowshoe hare virus. No flaviviruses were detected. We conclude that citizen science is an effective tool to educate the public about health and ecological issues. It also has the potential to be a powerful tool to help develop new models for climate-induced migration and distribution changes. However, it is a continuous effort, and follow-ups are needed to improve the quality.