Barcode Long Island Team Skeeter Hunters
Program:
Barcode Long Island
Year:
2017-18
Research Topic:
Wildlife & health
Taxonomic Group Studied:
Animals: Invertebrate

Project:

Identification of Long Island Mosquitoes Collected by Different Trapping Methods
Students:
Marisa Calderone, Bethany Fanning
School:
West Islip High School, Suffolk
Mentors:
Mary Kroll

Abstract:

The goal in studying the biodiversity of mosquitoes is to identify known and potentially unknown mosquitoes that could pose a risk to human health by spreading diseases that can result in sickness or even death. In recent years on Long Island, it has been found that mosquitoes have been transmitting diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV). "West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. It can be spread by the Culex pipiens mosquito, also known as the northern house mosquito, which is common in Suffolk County" ("Suffolk County Government, 2016, para. 3). Barcoding mosquitoes is necessary as the differences between some species, including those in the Culex genus, cannot be distinguished anatomically after trapping.

Poster:

DNA Barcoding Poster
View team poster (PDF/PowerPoint)

Team samples: