The main target of mosquito control is to minimize the mosquito population in a given area to control their nuisance and risk for public health.
There are few pratical methods to obtain mosquito control. Still, the general recommendation for effective control is to operate in several types of action. In most cases, only a combination of few methods will significantly reduce the mosquito population size. Here is a review of the most common methods, divided according to the mosquito life cycle stage affected:
Generally speaking, adult mosquito control is not sufficient to obtain efficient results in the long run. It helps with the immediate relief only. For longer and sustainable impact, the efforts should target the younger stages too: eggs, larvae and pupae.
The direct sunlight will overheat the water, making them unsuitable for the larvae. It will also help the natural predators to prey the larvae which will become more detectable to them in the clear (plant free) water. Finally, make sure to seal any opening of water tanks to prevent the mosquitoes to reach the water.
To summarize, remember that the best mosquito control results shall be obtained when using a mixture of the above methods. West Nile Virus and other mosquito transferred diseases can be avoided by consistent control plan in your area!
There are few pratical methods to obtain mosquito control. Still, the general recommendation for effective control is to operate in several types of action. In most cases, only a combination of few methods will significantly reduce the mosquito population size. Here is a review of the most common methods, divided according to the mosquito life cycle stage affected:
1) Adult mosquito control
Controlling adult (flying) mosquitoes is done by spraying insecticides. Most of the sprays commercially available are chemical agents; however more and more insecticides of vegetal extracts appear in the market lately. The control agent should be replaced from time to time to avoid resistance to appear among the treated mosquito population.Generally speaking, adult mosquito control is not sufficient to obtain efficient results in the long run. It helps with the immediate relief only. For longer and sustainable impact, the efforts should target the younger stages too: eggs, larvae and pupae.
2) Eggs prevention mosquito control
The possible oviposition (eggs laying) sites should be identified and treated so they would not suit for mosquito larvae. This mosquito control type of action relies on the mosquito female’s high sensitivity to correct oviposition habitat selection. First, dry any possible water source of ponds, etc. to minimize the available larvae locations. If drying is not an option: Clean the water area from local vegetation, exposing the water source to a direct sunlight.The direct sunlight will overheat the water, making them unsuitable for the larvae. It will also help the natural predators to prey the larvae which will become more detectable to them in the clear (plant free) water. Finally, make sure to seal any opening of water tanks to prevent the mosquitoes to reach the water.
3) Larvae and Pupae mosquito control
This type is covered by three different methods in general: chemical control, physical control and biological control:- Chemical mosquito control uses chemical pesticides in the water, which are toxin to the mosquito larvae and pupae (and usually other organism as well). In big water bodies it should be sprayed mostly near the shores. The most common pesticides are: Carbon-chlorides, Pyrethroids, Carbamates and organic Phosphorous.
- Physical mosquito control is also called MLO (Mosquito Larvicide Oil). This special oil easily spreads all over the water surface and prevents from the larvae and pupae to come up and breathe air, which is essential for their existence.
- Biological mosquito control is based on using the mosquito natural enemies. A bacteria called BTI is an example of a parasite that kills mosquitoes larvae and do not harm any vertebrate. Predation of the larvae is another example for biological control: Such predator can be invertebrates like back-swimmers, dragonfly nymphs, diving beetles and others. Vertabrate predators can be different species of fish (Gambusia – the mosquito fish is the most famous) and tadpoles of salamanders and newts.
To summarize, remember that the best mosquito control results shall be obtained when using a mixture of the above methods. West Nile Virus and other mosquito transferred diseases can be avoided by consistent control plan in your area!
Mosquito Control
4/
5
murat