VECTOR COMPETENCE OF SELECTED MOSQUITO SPECIES (DIPTERA, CULICIDAE) FOR CALIFORNIA STRAINS OF NORTHWAY VIRUS (BUNYAVIRIDAE, BUNYAVIRUS)

Selected mosquito species from Central Valley, coastal, and alpine hab itats of California were evaluated for their vector competence for Nor thway (NOR) virus. Culiseta incidens Thomson, Culiseta inornata (Willi ston), and Anopheles freeborni Aitken were the only competent vectors when fed virus. Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow), as well as alpine snow pool Aedes (i.e., Ae. cataphylla Dyar, Ae. hexodontus Dyar, Ae. increpitus Dyar and Ae. tahoensis Dyar), Ae. melanimon Dyar, Ae. washinoi Lanzar o & Eldridge, Culex erythrothorax Dyar, and Cx. tarsalis Coquillett we re highly refractory to peroral infection. Alpine snow pool species we re poor vectors even following parenteral infection, but 21-35% of int rathoracically inoculated Ae. sierrensis from several lower elevation localities and 39-46% of parenterally infected Cx. tarsalis were able to transmit NOR virus per os. Perorally infected Cs. inornata transmit ted NOR virus vertically to their F1 adult progeny at a low rate (mini mal filial infection rate, 1:248).