Changes to mosquito archive protocol to preserve bloodfed individuals separately and limit the total quantities from a given site-species-sex-bout
February 6, 2025
Bloodfed mosquitoes, sampled from CO2 traps (DP1.10043.001) are found at low prevalence in NEON samples (<1%), and had previously been archived together with the other bulk identified frozen mosquitoes (NEON-MOSC-BI) at the NEON Biorepository at Arizona State University. Because of their rarity, this archiving structure inhibited a growing area of host bloodmeal research that identifies the hosts on which mosquitoes successfully feed. Beginning in the 2025 field season, mosquitoes with blood present in their abdomen at the time of taxonomic identification will be assigned to a separate vial and collection type such that they can be requested for studies requiring the use of bloodfed mosquitoes. This change in archive protocol was in response to requests from the Mosquito Technical Working Group as well as reflective of interests highlighted by the May 2024 mosquito pathogen testing survey.
Additionally, until 2025, NEON preserved all taxonomically identified mosquitoes regardless of quantities, which occasionally involved preserving excessively large numbers of certain common species in a particular bout. Moving forward, NEON will preserve a maximum of two vials (~200 individuals) from a given site-species-sex-bout, such that individuals identified in excess of this quantity will be discarded. The Mosquito Technical Working Group concurred with these changes.
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