A Tool for Simulating the Spread of Invasive Mosquitoes

Abstract

There are many concerns about the spread and establishment of exotic mosquito species in Europe, some of which are highly competent to transmit pathogens. The fast spread of some invasive mosquito species, e.g. the Asian bush mosquito, might be explained by a combination of natural dispersal and human transport. Therefore, the aim of this study was the development of a software tool that is capable to model the local spatial-temporal spread of invasive mosquitoes through natural dispersal and their transportation through human transport via cars. The evaluation of the tool shows that it is capable to simulate the spread but also reveals the need for more biological data about invasive mosquito species.