LAUSR

A comprehensive surveillance of Aedes mosquitoes in west-central Illinois has not been conducted in recent years, resulting in incomplete distribution records for several Illinois counties. As of 2014, out of 102 Illinois counties, active populations of Ae. japonicus had been confirmed in 15 counties, and Ae. albopictus confirmed in 34 counties. The Miller laboratory at Western Illinois University (WIU) began the WIU Vector Biology Initiative (WIU-VBI) in 2014 to address the lack of mosquito surveillance in west-central Illinois. Through this effort, the presence of Ae. japonicus was confirmed for the 1st time in Fulton, Hancock, and Schuyler counties, IL, from 2014 to 2018. Actively breeding populations were confirmed in Cass, Fulton, McDonough, and Schuyler counties, IL. Additionally, Ae. albopictus was observed for the 1st time in Cass, Fulton, Hancock, McDonough, and Schuyler counties, IL, in 2016 and 2017, with active breeding populations in Cass and McDonough counties, IL.