ARS | Publication request: Fipronil as a larvicide against container-inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus.

Submitted to: Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 14, 2009
Publication Date: June 30, 2009
Citation: Xue, R.-D., Pridgeon, J.W., Becnel, J.J., Ali, A. 2009. Fipronil as a larvicide against the container inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 25(2):224-227.

Interpretive Summary: In the laboratory, Fipronil, a highly effective, broad-spectrum phenyl pyrazole insecticide was tested against laboratory-reared and field-collected larvae of Aedes albopictus. The activity of the insecticide was also evaluated against natural field populations of Ae. albopictus inhabiting one-liter capacity stone-made containers in a cemetery, St. Augustine, Florida. The cemetery containers also were used to study initial efficacy and activity persistence of fipronil against Ae. albopictus natural populations. The laboratory-reared larvae were 10 folds more susceptible than field-collected larvae with LC90 values of 0.0036 and 0.0364 ppm, respectively. In field bioassays, the LC90 value of Ae. albopictus larvae was 0.347 ppm. In cemetery containers, the mosquito larvicidal activity of fipronil applied at 0.0032 and 0.032 ppm gave 100% control of Ae. albopictus larvae for at least up to 8 wk post treatment.

Technical Abstract: In the laboratory, Fipronil was tested against laboratory-reared and field-collected early 4th instar Aedes albopictus larvae. The insecticide was also bioassayed for activity against natural field populations of Ae. albopictus inhabiting one-liter capacity stone-made containers in a cemetery, St. Augustine, Florida. The cemetery containers also were utilized to study initial efficacy and activity persistence of fipronil against Ae. albopictus natural populations. The laboratory-reared larvae were 10 folds more susceptible than field-collected larvae as indicated by the LC90 values of 0.0036 and 0.0364 ppm for the laboratory-reared and field-collected larvae, respectively. In the field bioassay, in stone-made containers, the LC90 value of fipronil against Ae. albopictus larvae was 0.347 ppm. In cemetery containers, fipronil applied at 0.0032 and 0.032 ppm gave 100% control of Ae. albopictus larvae for at least up to 8 wk post treatment.