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Controlling mosquitoes around the home. Michael Merchant, PhD, BCE Professor and Urban Entomologist Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas M-merchant@tamu.edu. SSLAPP. Surveillance/Site reduction Larvaciding Adulticiding Personal Protection Public Education.
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Controlling mosquitoes around the home Michael Merchant, PhD, BCE Professor and Urban Entomologist Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas M-merchant@tamu.edu
SSLAPP • Surveillance/Site reduction • Larvaciding • Adulticiding • Personal Protection • Public Education Photo courtesy Dalllas Morning News
Home mosquito control • Control mosquito breeding in your own backyard • Site elimination • Larvaciding • Report neighborhood problems • Treat adult resting sites • Educate the family about use of repellents Photo: M. Merchant, Texas A&M AgriLife
Treatments for standing water • Bacillus thuringiensis (briquettes and granules) • Methoprene (Altosid, Pre-Strike) granules
Backyard foggers • Thermal foggers • Aerosol foggers • Temporary relief from mosquitoes • Few hours to few days
Residual insecticides for mosquito control • Treat mosquito resting sites • under eaves of buildings • around doorways • trees • shrubbery • foundation plantings • 3-4 weeks residual control PCT magazine Oct, 2006 for University of KY studies
Professional residual treatments with pyrethroid insecticides • Available through some pest control companies • Use backpack and mist blowers • larger particle size (50-60 microns) • 1-3 gallons per home • Suspend • Talstar • Demand CS • 3-4 weeks of control Photo by Mike Potter, U of KY
Treat vegetation around home, in yard and around yard perimeter
Hose end applicators • Kill resting mosquitoes on • Ornamental grasses • Shrubbery • Low trees • Flowers, roses • Grass
Drawbacks • Non-selective, may kill beneficial insects
Treat outside and around doorways • Use residual insecticides • Lambda-cyholothrin • Deltamethrin • Bifenthrin • Cyfluthrin • Little risk to beneficials
Mosquito misting systems • More expensive than spray services • Effectiveness and impact on beneficial insects not well studied • Probability of pesticide exposure and over-application by homeowners • Effects on mosquito resistance not well studied
Bug zappers & other “sure-fire” mosquito remedies • Zappers ineffective in reducing mosquito bites • Citronella plants not known to repel mosquitoes • Citronella candles, torches can repel mosquitoes if wind is favorable
Purple martins & bats not highly effective Incompatible with effective mosquito control: Time of day Altitude Habitats where mosquitoes live not hunted by these predators
Extension Online Resources • Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) • Texashelp.tamu.edu • Mosquito Safari website • http://mosquitosafari.tamu.edu • Insects in the City website http://citybugs.tamu.edu • FAQs about aerial spraying • Videos on mosquito control around the home