Colonization by tiger mosquito (<em>Aedes albopictus</em> Skuse, 1894) of mountain areas over 600 m above sea level in the surroundings of Trento city, Northeast Italy

Abstract

Originally from Southeast Asia, the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is now found almost everywhere in the world. Additionally, it spread throughout all of Northeastern Italy’s cities, including Trento, and settled in the Alpine regions. The invasion of mountain regions in the Alps above 600 meters, which is generally thought to be the upper limit of Ae. Albopictus’s range, is confirmed for the first time in this note. We observed it in the summer of 2023 between 615 and 708 meters above sea level in the Trento region’s surrounding mountains, specifically in the Montevaccino and Sopramonte localities. The mosquito was caught using ovitraps, and by raising the eggs to adulthood in a lab, the species identification was verified. This finding heightens worries about how tropical insect species, which are favored by global warming, may invade the mountains and affect tourism.