Which statement describes Ochlerotatus sollicitans?

• A. Small coastal mosquito with limited flight range.
• B. Dominant salt marsh mosquito; large; eggs laid in high marsh; strong flier; dusk/day biter; multiple generations; pest and bridge vector.
• C. Overwinters as eggs.
• D. Bred in freshwater ponds.

Answer: (D)

Ochlerotatus sollicitans is the salt marsh mosquito, a large coastal species that thrives in brackish marsh pools along shorelines. The main idea to recognize is its habitat and behavior: it dominates salt marsh environments, eggs are laid in high marsh areas that become flooded by tides, adults are capable of long flights, and they bite during the evening hours (and can be active during the day in some conditions). Because of its abundance and movement, it can produce multiple generations in warm seasons and acts as a pest that can serve as a bridge vector for arboviruses. The statement that best captures this profile is the one describing it as a dominant salt marsh mosquito with large size, high-marsh egg laying, strong flying ability, dusk to day biting, multiple generations, and status as a pest and bridge vector. The other options don’t fit because this species is not small with limited movement, it isn’t primarily bred in freshwater ponds, and while some mosquitoes overwinter as eggs, that trait isn’t the defining description for Ochlerotatus sollicitans.