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<p>With the Zika virus and the West Nile Virus becoming a reality in Pennsylvania, a group of Misericordia University students are working to determine the abundance of mosquito species in Luzerne County.</p><p>Larry Corpus, assistant professor of biology at Misericordia, said the students will be sampling container habitats, including tires, gutters and plastic bottles, that are used by larval and pupal forms of mosquitoes. The samples will be identified according to mosquito species and the data, according to Corpus, could fill in the gap since there are no sampling surveys conducted in the county.</p><p>The work began on May 30 and Corpus said they&#8217;ve had no problem finding mosquitoes.</p><p>&#8220;Tires are a big one. We&#8217;ve found several hundred larvae in one container,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Mosquitoes prefer nutrient-rich water to lay their eggs, and Corpus said it could take as little as 10 days for some species to reach the adult stage. He added that certain species may prefer specific habitats, and the data could determine which areas should be a focal point when it comes to addressing potential disease issues.</p><p>Corpus said female mosquitoes are attracted to stagnant water to lay their eggs because of the smell. In some locations, such as ponds, there are control methods via predators such as water striders and fish.</p><p>Jody Teel, a senior at Misericordia, said the average number of larvae found during sampling work was 100 per container, and a high of 800 larvae were found in a flower pot at a cemetery.</p><p>Senior Olivia McCorkel said mosquito larvae have even been found in rainwater that collected on the side of a kayak.</p><p>&#8220;We expect to find more in places where the water is still, and we have been,&#8221; McCorkel said.</p><p>Corpus said the sampling will continue into the fall and the findings will be presented as part of a senior project for his students next spring.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Jody Teel, left, and Olivia McCorkel collect mosquito larvae for a research project conducted by Misericordia University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL070717mosquito3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Jody Teel, left, and Olivia McCorkel collect mosquito larvae for a research project conducted by Misericordia University. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL070717mosquito2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mosquito larvae in a dish collected during sampling for a research project by Misericordia University students. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL070717mosquito2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Mosquito larvae in a dish collected during sampling for a research project by Misericordia University students. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL070717mosquito1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Olivia McCorkel looks at mosquito larvae. McCorkel is a Misericordia Research Fellow and is participating in a study aimed to link mosquito species with specific habitats. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_TTL070717mosquito1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Olivia McCorkel looks at mosquito larvae. McCorkel is a Misericordia Research Fellow and is participating in a study aimed to link mosquito species with specific habitats. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Research project aims to link mosquito species to specific habitats</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Misericordia students on the hunt for mosquitoes