Submitted by the MVCAC VVBD Committee
Ceccarelli, G., F Branda, C Ceccarelli, B. Arch, and M Ciccozzi. May 2026. Entomology Today.
Concluding paragraph: The establishment of Aedes aegypti in cities such as Las Vegas suggests that the ecological limits of vector species may increasingly be shaped by urbanisation. Climate remains a fundamental constraint, but it operates within a context that is profoundly modified by human design. The built environment does not merely host vector populations; it may actively contribute to the conditions that enable their persistence.
Artificial light at night represents one component of this system that has yet to be fully integrated into models of vector ecology. Clarifying its role will be important not only for advancing ecological understanding but also for informing future approaches to vector control in urban settings where traditional assumptions about environmental suitability may no longer fully apply.
Note: The bright lights of cities such as Las Vegas were in place long before the recent invasion of Aedes aegypti.