impaginato piccolo - Società Italiana di Parassitologia (SoIPa)

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during the past winter season we observed the weekly
hatching of few batches of eggs also during the coldest
months. Even if the larvae originated from these eggs in
outdoor breeding sites did not survive the low temperatures
(but larvae from indoor sites were able to conclude
the whole cycle in about 3 weeks) this event represents
a clear signal that the characters that may determine
the production of winter eggs are going to be deselected
or, at least, not favored by the mild temperature
of our country, and that the species is going to be active
for the whole year round, also due to the predicted
global rise of the mean temperature.
Factors that favoured the adaptation of Aedes
albopictus to new environments, dynamics of the
spread and Chikungunya virus
Italy is a long and narrow peninsula extending over the
Mediterranean sea for about 8 degree of latitude. As a
consequence of this fact, the seasonal dynamics of the
species varies greatly, from 4-5 months of activity
recorded in the pre-mountainous northern limits of the
Pianura Padana to Rome, where it is quickly going to
be active all year round. South of Rome the scarcity of
rainfall during the 4 warmest months of the year (usually