Mozzie Monitors - Australia's Journal

May 6, 2023

Mozzie Monitors Reach 5000 Records!

We are excited to announce that our citizen science project, Mozzie Monitors, has reached a major milestone with 5000 records of mosquito observations! This is a great achievement for our project and shows the dedication and hard work of our observers and identifiers.

Since the project's launch, we have received over 5,000 observations of 87 different mosquito species from 1,174 observers. Our team of 300 identifiers has been crucial in verifying the species identification of these observations and ensuring that the data collected is accurate and reliable.
Recently the project has grown to include several new species such as the rarely collected Aedes pecuniosus. Another record from the 'moth sheet' which has proven to be a valuable source for collecting data on mosquito populations that are not usually captured by traditional surveillance programs. A dead ringer for Ae. purpureus because to quote Mike Muller pecuniosus was resurrected from synonymy with Aedes purpureus (Reinert 1988) so it won’t be in keys that were mostly prepared before then. The name pecuniosus is Latin for in the money or well off.

This turned out to be a Fantastic observation of the rarely collected Aedes pecuniosus by © Scott W. Gavins, (CC-BY-NC) AKA @scottwgavins at Talegalla Weir QLD 4650, Australia

This follows on from the record of Aedes shehzadae recorded by @johnlenagan back in Feb 14, 2021, Lockhart QLD which was only the second record of this species ever and greatly expanded its range. The Mozzie Monitors project provides a platform for citizen scientists to contribute to valuable research on mosquito populations and their impact on public health.

Aedes shehzadae recorded by @johnlenagan Feb 14, 2021 · 10:43 PM Lockhart QLD

This data is valuable for understanding mosquito populations and their impact on public health, as well as informing mosquito control strategies. With the help of our community of observers and identifiers, we can continue to gather important data that will aid in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases.

We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the project so far, and encourage those who have not yet participated to get involved. Anyone can contribute to the project by downloading the iNaturalist app and submitting their mosquito observations.
Citizen science projects have had succeeded in other regions such as recently in Cyprus 'First record of the invasive Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus in Cyprus based on information collected by citizen scientists'
A great example of how citizen science can be leveraged to enhance biosecurity monitoring

Image of a Aedes albopictus recorded by martin_galli in Pérols, France 'In France, a few individuals had already been found in homes and greenhouses last month but this one was found outside ; one of the first female adults of the year.'

Let's continue to work together to make a difference in our communities and protect ourselves from mosquito-borne diseases.

Posted on May 6, 2023 12:05 AM by saltmarshsteve saltmarshsteve | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 31, 2023

Aedes pecuniosus is species 85 for Mozzie monitors

Well we now have an amazing 85 species of mozzie represented on Mozzie Monitors, and it appears that the moth sheet is an untapped source for mozzie records, in particular it seems they collect rarely mosquito species rarely collected with traditional surveillance programs. For those that follow the MozzieMonitors News you may recall the first record of Aedes shehzadae back in February 2021 , you can catch up on the article in 'The conversation' here This mosquito species from Papua New Guinea was lost for 90 years – until a photographer snapped a picture of it in Australia
Or see the original publication in the Journal of Vector Ecology, 47(1) : 133-137

Aedes shehzadae recorded by @johnlenagan Feb 14, 2021 · 10:43 PM Lockhart QLD

well its been just two years and the 'moth sheet' has produced another puzzle, again from Queensland. This time after stumping me and @mozziebites the answer was provided by the very knowledgeable @mozziemike Mike Muller who used their local knowledge to solve this mystery fairly quickly.


This turned out to be a Fantastic observation of the rarely collected Aedes pecuniosus by © Scott W. Gavins, (CC-BY-NC) AKA @scottwgavins at Talegalla Weir QLD 4650, Australia
Full description of the species can be found here 'Description of the Holotypes of Aedes (Finlava) purpureus and &. (Fin.) pecuniosus with a Revalidation of the Latter Species (Diptera: Culicidae) John F. Reinertlf2
A dead ringer for Ae. purpureus because to quote Mike Muller pecuniosus was "resurrected from synonymy with Aedes purpureus in this Reinert paper from 1988 so it won’t be in keys that were mostly prepared before then. It’s only mentioned in the 12 Volume Culicidae of the Australasian Region as a synonym of purpureus . The name pecuniosus is Latin for in the money or well off,' the description by Reinert 1988 is below by https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA510184.pdf

@ospr3y thanks for adding the species as parent taxon for this as Subgenus Molpemyia, along with the other two species in the subgenus.

Posted on March 31, 2023 11:39 AM by saltmarshsteve saltmarshsteve | 1 comment | Leave a comment

March 21, 2022

Having dificulty in making Mozzie observations?

If you are having difficulty in making Mozzie observations, try some of these tips

Slap & Snap

First, try the old slap and snap. as long as you don't hit too hard dead mozzies are ok to ID.

Then take a picture from the side, this can be the best view, and don't wack it too hard.

Are you using a mobile phone or a camera?

If you are using a mobile then, can I suggest when taking the photograph, try taping on the screen this usually brings up a focusing square on the screen and prompts the phone to bring the mosquitoes into sharper focus.
otherwise, as previously stated, if you can get a side view that would make ID easier.
Mozzie month twitter
The Mozzie Monitors mosquito trap id a BG-GAT and can be purchased from 'Pacific Biologics' However, send @larissabrazsousa an email @ mozziemonitors@unisa.edu.au

FYI @colinpurrington has made blog on a home made version you could give that a go. You can follow him on Twitter @colinpurrington as I do he is really interesting.

Can mosquitoes be identified from an image of the wrigglers?

Yes, absolutely, but it is best to put them in a glass or container so they can be photographed from the side. This can be tough but i have seen some splendid examples


a Fantastic observation of Culex australicus © Rolf Lawrenz, some rights reserved (CC-BY) AKA
@rlawrenz from Adelaide SA, Australia. check it out here
@rsmalley

Posted on March 21, 2022 07:40 AM by saltmarshsteve saltmarshsteve | 0 comments | Leave a comment

February 26, 2022

A Guide to Mosquitoes of Australia- on sale

Want to learn more about Australia's mosquitoes? Our award-winning guide is currently on sale via CSIRO Publishing for only $30! Learn more about our local mozzies and how to beat their bites https://publish.csiro.au/book/6391/

Want to learn more about Australia's mosquitoes? Our award-winning guide is currently on sale via #mozziesofsydney #mozziesofsydney #mozziemonth
FMgtNAbaMAMMPgu
@mozziebites

Posted on February 26, 2022 01:28 PM by saltmarshsteve saltmarshsteve | 0 comments | Leave a comment

The power of citizen science mosquito surveillance

Have you noticed more mozzies around lately?

The increasing rains, and the warm and humid weather impacted by La Nina, can offer favourable conditions to mosquitoes to develop. Flooded areas and the increase of artificial water ponds can also serve as breeding sites for opportunistic species. Not only are mosquitoes a concern due to nuisance biting, but they can also play a role in the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.

To learn more about the mosquito fauna present in people’s backyards, a citizen science mosquito monitoring project was launched in 2018, by Prof. Craig Williams and his research team, in the University of South Australia. This program, named Mozzie Monitors, is a collaboration with community members who help researchers collect, photograph and identify mosquito species in Australia. Citizen scientists can participate in two ways: using a passive mosquito trap in their backyards, or using the online citizen science platform, iNaturalist iNaturalist. Both methods are unique and bring novel and meaningful information to science.

In 2022, as a Mozzie Monitors initiative, the research team is organising the Mozzie Month, from February 14th to March 29th.

Check out some observations already shared during Mozzie Month.

Aedes procax observed by @mozziemike, Aedes alboannulatus observed by @suzieandjim, Aedes vittiger observed by @dlync.

A mosquito community on iNaturalist
Mozzie Monitors also has an ever growing community of mozzie lovers (or not so much), passionate naturalists and enthusiasts that share mosquito photos on the online citizen science platform iNaturalist. iNaturalist is an open and free platform available on the web or mobile app. It can be used on all devices, and it allows people to share observations (photos or sounds) of wildlife in general. Enthusiasts contribute worldwide to this global platform, which uses crowdsourcing and artificial intelligence to identify species. Besides being an international biodiversity database, it is also a network of citizen scientists, people interested in learning and sharing their observations and researchers that can access this information to study species of interest. Additionally, photos or sounds of wildlife shared on this platform contribute to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). In other words, people can contribute to research of global importance from their local areas.

Mozzie month twitterMozzie month twitter

What about the mozzies?
Mozzie Monitors has a project on iNaturalist that collects every mosquito data uploaded to the platform. Since 2018, over 70 species of mosquitoes have been reported in Australia , including rare and invasive species and species of medical importance. But the project also received photos of pollinator mosquitoes and a first ever observation of a mosquito species on a carnivore plant. Besides, in February 2021, a new mosquito species was photographed for the first time in Australia and uploaded to iNaturalist. This discovery shows the power of citizen science and citizen scientists’ observations, contributing to novel information about mosquito species, behaviour and distribution.
Indeed, there are over 300 species of mosquitoes in Australia, and many of them can pose a risk to public health. There are also many undescribed species, and citizen science platforms could potentially expand the scientific knowledge about mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

Monitoring mosquitoes is essential for mosquito management and mosquito-borne diseases prevention.
Please, share your photos of mosquitoes from all over Australia on iNaturalist during Mozzie Month 2022.
More information and past reports on mozziemonitors.com and mozziemonitors@unisa.edu.au

Social media:
Facebook – Mozzie Monitors project
Twitter – Mozzie Monitors
Instagram – Mozzie Monitors #mozziemonitors #mozziemonth #mozziemonth2022

BRAZ SOUSA, L., FRICKER, S. & WILLIAMS, C. 2020a. How a Citizen Science Program is Innovating Mosquito Surveillance in Australia. Mosquito Bites in the Asia Pacific Region. Online.
BRAZ SOUSA, L., FRICKER, S. R., DOHERTY, S. S., WEBB, C. E., BALDOCK, K. L. & WILLIAMS, C. R. 2020b. Citizen science and smartphone e-entomology enables low-cost upscaling of mosquito surveillance. Sci Total Environ, 704, 135349.
BRAZ SOUSA, L., FRICKER, S. R., WEBB, C. E. & WILLIAMS, C. R. 2021. Mozzie Month Technical Report.
SOUSA, LB, CRAIG, A, CHITKARA, U, FRICKER, S, WEBB, C, WILLIAMS, C AND BALDOCK, K. 2022. Methodological Diversity in Citizen Science Mosquito Surveillance: A Scoping Review. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 7(1): 8, pp. 1–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.469
WEBB, C., DOGGETT, S. & RUSSELL, R. 2016. A guide to mosquitoes of Australia, CSIRO Publishing.
WEBB, C., CLANCY, J., DOGGETT, S., MCALISTER, E., WILLIAMS, C., FRICKER, S., VAN DEN HURK, A., LESSARD, B., LENAGAN, J. & WALTER, M. 2021. First record of the mosquito Aedes (Downsiomyia) shehzadae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Australia: A unique discovery aided by citizen science (in review). Journal of Vector Ecology.

Posted on February 26, 2022 07:12 AM by larissabrazsousa larissabrazsousa | 4 comments | Leave a comment

January 29, 2022

Mozzie Month 2022

Join us on Mozzie Month 2022, from Feb 14th to Mar 29th and contribute to mosquito research in Australia.

With the warm, wet and humid weather impacted by La Nina, mosquito populations are increasing in different parts of Australia. Thus, monitoring mosquitoes is crucial to explore how the weather variables can affect species numbers, population size and distribution.

Citizen scientists have contributed to our Mozzie Monitors project from different states and territories in Australia. Data collected help us understand the diversity and abundance of mosquitoes in each area.
More information and past reports on mozziemonitors.com


Aedes vittiger observed by @brenmcken during Mozzie Month 2021.

Almost 50 observers contributed to 23 different species in the last edition.

Check out our Mozzie Month 2021 highlights:
Research grade observations:

  • Top 5 observed species: Toxorhynchites speciosus , Aedes notoscriptus , Aedes vigilax , Aedes vittiger , Culex annulirostris , Aedes alternans .

  • Top observers: @mozziebites, @linda_millison, @natashataylor, @reiner, @valryr

  • Top identifiers: @ospr3y, @stephen169, @mozziebites
    We also had three new species added to our species list on iNat, by @mozziebites and @mozziemike.
    News species: Aedes aculeatus, Aedes burpengaryensis, Culex orbostiensis.



  • Which species are we observing this year? #mozziemonth #mozziemonth2022

    Posted on January 29, 2022 02:34 AM by larissabrazsousa larissabrazsousa | 0 comments | Leave a comment

    February 19, 2021

    Mozzie Month Challenge

    We are glad to announce we officially started Mozzie Month!

    We are running this initiative from Feb 16th to Mar 27th by using either the BG-GAT trap or the iNaturalist platform. We are excited to check what mosquitoes we will collect, observe and register.

    We are also excited about exploring what species are most observed and easily registered through iNat! At the end of March, we will organise a summary of all species recorded, the geographic locations where they were observed and their interactions (if they were blood-fed or feeding, resting, visiting plants, etc.). Check some of the recent observations that were shared on our project.

    Photo 1. Larva of Aedes notoscriptus. (c) Geoffrey Cox, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
    Photo 2. Toxorhynchites specious. (c) Erica Siegel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
    Photo 3. Coquillettidia xanthogaster. (c) widebrownland, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


    Charge your camera and get ready to share your observations during Mozzie Month. You can help us by either sharing your photos or helping with ID.

    -How many mosquitoes can you observe?

    -How many different species?

    -How many can you ID?


    Please join us and contribute to raising our database of mosquito fauna distribution in Australia.

    More info: http://mozziemonitors.com/announcements.php

    @nicklambert @mozziebites @linda_millison @reiner @cobaltducks @thebeachcomber @dustaway @ospr3y

    Posted on February 19, 2021 02:45 AM by larissabrazsousa larissabrazsousa | 2 comments | Leave a comment

    January 29, 2021

    Top 10 species of mozzies on iNat

    Do you know which mosquitoes are most commonly observed in Australia?

    Mosquitoes are everywhere. We can find them in our backyards, sometimes buzzing around our ears when we try to sleep, biting our legs when we go for a walk, even when we are enjoying a Sunday afternoon picnic by the park. Besides the irritation and public health concerns, they also catch our eyes when displaying their bright colours or pollinating flowers.

    There are thousands of mosquito species described in the world, and around 300 are known to occur in the Australasian region. Despite their nuisance impacts in our lives, only about a dozen species play a role in mosquito-borne diseases. Knowing their biology, abundance and distribution is crucial to help environmental and health departments manage the species.

    Citizen science projects on mosquito surveillance, like Mozzie Monitors and Zika Mozzie Seeker in Australia, are engaging initiatives that allow the community to notice, learn, help raise data and increase scientific knowledge of mosquito populations as they engage in a hands-on approach.

    Mozzie Monitors all over Australia are sharing incredible photos of our mosquito fauna and have registered almost 1,500 observations of over 50 species on iNaturalist. These photos show much more than mosquitoes. They also reveal interactions, distribution and behaviour. On Mozzie Monitors project, you can find fantastic images of blood-fed or feeding mozzies, larvae and eggs in their natural habitats, geographic location where the observations were made and even interactions with plants.

    We organised a list with the top 10 mosquito species observed on iNaturalist, in Australia. Check it out!

    10 Coquillettidia xanthogaster

    Photo: (c) Dianne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/803891-Coquillettidia-xanthogaster

    9 Aedes vittiger

    Photo: (c) laz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA).
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1112146-Aedes-vittiger

    8 Anopheles annulipes

    Photo: (c) Geoffrey Cox, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/368702-Anopheles-annulipes

    7 Aedes alternans

    Photo: (c) debtaylor142, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/700911-Aedes-alternans

    6 Culex quinquefasciatus

    Photo: (c) Geoffrey Cox, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/155309-Culex-quinquefasciatus

    5 Aedes alboannulatus

    Photo: (c) iandb, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/793734-Aedes-alboannulatus

    4 Aedes vigilax

    Photo: (c) Jeannie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1111828-Aedes-vigilax

    3 Toxorhynchites speciosus

    Photo: (c) jonandalisha, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/460871-Toxorhynchites-speciosus

    2 Aedes camptorhynchus

    Photo: (c) frank_prinz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/791192-Aedes-camptorhynchus

    1 Aedes notoscriptus

    Photo: (c) Stephen Fricker, all rights reserved.
    See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/407524-Aedes-notoscriptus

    The most observed mosquito on iNaturalist, in Australia, is Aedes notoscriptus. This species is very noticeable due to its lyre shape pattern on the scutum. Have you ever seen this mozzie in your backyard?

    I wonder which species we will observe during Mozzie Month?

    Share your observations of mozzies too on https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mozzie-monitors-australia?tab=observations

    Read more:

    mozziemonth #mozziemonitors #citizenscience #urbanecology #publichealth #WildOz #inaturalist #SnapB4USlap

    Posted on January 29, 2021 06:40 AM by larissabrazsousa larissabrazsousa | 1 comment | Leave a comment

    January 14, 2021

    Which species can we observe during Mozzie Month?

    Mozzie Monitors is having several new observations in the past weeks!
    It looks like the mozzies are everywhere as the weather is getting warmer all over Australia. Rainfalls in some places are also favouring mosquitoes, and the populations are increasing.

    We have seen fantastic new photos of colourful, bright, scaled mosquitoes on our Mozzie Monitors project. Also, many of them are vicious biters of humans and other animals. Members of our Mozzie Monitors community have added new species to our list too.

    We want to thank all iNat users who have been contributing to this fantastic source of information on mosquito fauna in Australia. Please keep sharing your observations of mozzies, so we can keep exploring their distribution around the country. Additionally, we want to call new participants for our new initiative, the Mozzie Month, from Feb 2nd to Mar 16th .

    Mozzie Month will be a six-week mosquito monitoring using either the BG-GAT trap or the iNaturalist platform to monitor mosquitoes around Australia. Both methods are equally essential and bring complementary information to understand diversity, abundance and distribution of mozzies across the country. Please reach out to us on mozziemonitors@unisa.edu.au if you are interested in participating.

    To participate:
    - Using the trap -> Trap group is almost complete, we are seeking new participants only from Darwin and surroundings at this stage. If you are from that area and wish to participate, please email us on mozziemonitors@unisa.edu.au.
    - Using the iNaturalist platform -> You can participate from anywhere in Australia. You need to have an account on iNaturalist (inaturalist.org) and submit your observations of mosquitoes. These data are valuable to explore species diversity and distribution. You can use either the app or the web-based platform. Check it out how to upload an observation on iNat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCShSn4E-mc&t=)

    Please keep sharing your amazing observations on iNat, so we will prepare a report of the mozzies observed during Mozzie Month. Every observation is important to our community and it doesn't have to be a "professional" photo to be identifiable.

    You can find more information on our website: POWO
    You can also check this video that explains a little bit about the past trials and future goals. POWO

    Some additional readings:

    • Please check our article on The Conversation on how to help fight vector and nuisance biting mozzies in our backyards.POWO
    • You may also want to check this article from Dr Cameron Webb (@mozziebites) on how to keep mozzies away. POWO

    Posted on January 14, 2021 03:53 AM by saltmarshsteve saltmarshsteve | 0 comments | Leave a comment

    January 9, 2021

    Updated to the Project profile

    We have seen an increase in the number of observations particularly with the increased rainfall on the east coast, with some fantastic pictures submitted like this 'Hexham Grey' Aedes alternans (left, observed by @debtaylor142 ) and this 'Striped Mosquito' Aedes notoscriptus (right observed by @nomennudum) below.

    It would be great for some of the more experienced observers to assist with identifications.
    I have added some resources to the project description.
    I have also included a link to observations requiring ID so if you want to help identify Mosquitoes on the project here is a list of all the observations in need of ID.

    Can i make some suggestions, it would be fantastic to add the 'Observation Fields'
    Blood fed
    feeding on
    when uploading observations or reviewing observations

    Posted on January 9, 2021 12:54 AM by saltmarshsteve saltmarshsteve | 2 comments | Leave a comment