ARS | Publication request: New Innovations in Biological Control of Mosquitoes.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 26, 2010
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Biological control of mosquitoes is a component of an integrated pest management strategy and includes general predators, parasites and pathogens. Pathogens of mosquitoes include bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists. The most successful group for applied mosquito control include the bacteria Bacillus thuringensis israelensis (BTI) and B. sphaericus (BS) that have been applied for larval control worldwide. New strategies for using BTI and BS in mosquito management programs involves rotation and mixtures to help prevent resistance. Studies have shown that rotation and mixtures are equally effective tactics to restore BS susceptibility in BS resistant mosquitoes. New approaches for biological control are 1) the use of fungi for adult mosquito control and 2) sterile insect techniques that use recombinant DNA technology to create genetically modified insects. Current status of these new approaches to mosquito control will be discussed.