Mosquitoes can transmit deadly vector-borne viruses, causing substantial health risks. To be effective in their abatement, county control plans must understand urban habitats and the community factors that influence vector population growth. The primary objective of this dissertation is to understand mosquito infestation in Miami-Dade County and the extent that citizen science can be utilized for community-based mosquito surveillance programs. Mosquito infestation within Miami-Dade County showed infestation with mosquitoes year-round and a very pronounced difference between spring, summer, and fall (p < 0.001). Patterns in mosquito abundance were associated with meteorological factors: temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity (p < 0.05). A principal component analysis showed three distinct genetic populations separate the South Florida mosquitoes. Most mosquitoes were encompassed in one cluster and included samples from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Manatee County, suggesting the influence of genetic drift and natural selection where there is a long-term population history. Infestation information in this study was gathered through a citizen science program at Florida International University, Florida Aedes Genome Group (FLAGG). Citizen involvement in FLAGG was analyzed to measure the impact of the program on students by comparing them to their peers. The FLAGG students scored significantly better than their peers when surveyed on mosquito abatement and were more likely to be willing to participate in mosquito control surveillance (p < 0.001). Furthermore, FLAGG intern counts and expert counts showed similar seasonal and site-based trends for mosquito abundance (p < 0.001). Programs like FLAGG can be used to improve mosquito control while also generating a benefit to the participant as it fosters a sense of empowerment and engagement.
