A tandem metabarcoding and taxonomic forensics approach to surveillance of plant interactions in Florida Culex quinquefasciatus

Authors: MOSORE, MBA-TIHSSOMMAH - University Of Florida; MISHRA, SHOVA - University Of Florida; VILLA, MILANI - University Of Florida; AGBODZI, BRIGHT - University Of Florida; Estep Iii, Alden; PRASAUSKAS, AGNE - Pasco County Mosquito Control; QUALLS, WHITNEY - Anastasia Mosquito Control District; UNLU, ISIK - Miami-Dade County'S Mosquito Control; DINGLASAN, RHOEL - University Of Florida; BURGESS, EDWIN - University Of Florida; KILLINGSWORTH, DANIEL - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2025
Publication Date: 12/22/2025
Citation: Mosore, M., Mishra, S., Villa, M., Agbodzi, B.M., Estep Iii, A.S., Prasauskas, A., Qualls, W.A., Unlu, I., Dinglasan, R.R., Burgess, E., Killingsworth, D. 2025. A tandem metabarcoding and taxonomic forensics approach to surveillance of plant interactions in Florida Culex quinquefasciatus. Insects. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010013.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010013

Interpretive Summary: Sugar is an important nutritional resource for mosquitoes that they often acquire from plants. Mosquito plant-feeding associations have been proposed as significant drivers of mosquito vector abundance and prevalence of mosquito-borne pathogens. A recent focus on mosquito plant-feeding associations has used sensitive techniques in molecular biology to screen for plant-specific genes from field-collected mosquitoes to identify plant families, genera, and species. These techniques have been underutilized for mosquito species in the United States and specifically for Culex quinquefasciatus which represents an important vector of many important pathogens and is found abundantly in Florida. Researchers from the USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology and the University of Florida conducted a study to produce a list of plants found in Culex quinquefasciatus adults using molecular detection of plant-specific genes and to cross reference the identified plants to a plant voucher database for the state of Florida. Culex quinquefasciatus were found to use a wide range of plants, including both cultivated and non-cultivated plants, and most of the plants had representative vouchers for their respective sampling location. Understanding plant interactions in mosquitoes can be leveraged to develop new control strategies and thus reduce the public risk of mosquito-borne pathogens.

Technical Abstract: Interactions with plants is an important aspect of mosquito vector biology and ecology because mosquitoes often use plants for acquisition of nutritional resources. Plant DNA metabarcoding is a recent approach to address this topic. Culex quinquefasciatus is a vector of several important pathogens in Florida and subject to significant control efforts, but no studies to date have explored what plants they may feed on. We addressed this by conducting a statewide collection of Cx. quinquefasciatus from six Florida counties and subjected them to plant DNA metabarcoding and cross referenced the identified plants to a Florida state plant voucher database for each sampled county. A total of 30 families and 47 genera were identified. Plants included many that are cultivated and non-cultivated in Florida, including backyard garden produce, grasses, and some invasive species. Concurrence of plant families and genera was generally high in the respective sampled counties based on available plant vouchers. These data provide the first statewide survey of plants associated with Cx. quinquefasciatus in Florida. This information serves as an important basis for confirming plant taxa that are important to Cx. quinquefasciatus, which could translate to the development of better control strategies and tools.