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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #253326
Title: Evaluation of ULV and Thermal Fog Mosquito Control Applications in Temperate and Desert Environments

Author
item Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken
item Gibson, Seth
item WYNN, WILLARD - Retired ARS Employee
item WALKER, TODD - Us Navy
item FAROOQ, MUHAMMAD - Us Navy
item SMITH, VINCENT - Us Navy
item ROBINSON, CATHY - Us Navy
item LOTHROP, BRANKA - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District
item SNELLING, MELLISSA - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District
item GUTIERREZ, ARTURO - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District
item LOTHROP, HUGH - University Of California
item WITTIE, JEREMY - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2010
Publication Date: 3/28/2010
Citation: Linthicum, K., Britch, S.C., Wynn, W.W., Walker, T., Farooq, M., Smith, V., Robinson, C., Lothrop, B., Snelling, M., Gutierrez, A., Lothrop, H., Wittie, J. 2010. Evaluation of ULV and Thermal Fog Mosquito Control Applications in Temperate and Desert Environments. Presentation at the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Mosquito Control Association in Lexington, Kentucky on March 28 - April 1, 2010; pg. 33.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ultra low volume (ULV) and thermal fog aerosol dispersals of pesticides have been used against mosquitoes and other insects for half a century. Although each spray technology has advantages and disadvantages, only 7 studies have been identified that directly compare their performance in the field. US military personnel currently operating in hot-arid environments are affected by perpetual nuisance and disease vector insect problems, despite adulticide operations using modern pesticide delivery equipment such as ULV. None of the identified comparative studies has looked at the relative feasibility and efficacy of ULV and thermal fog equipment against mosquitoes in hot-arid environments. In this study we examine the impact of ULV and thermal fog applications of malathion and sumithrin against caged sentinel mosquitoes in the field in a warm temperate area of Florida, followed by a similar test in a hot-dry desert area of southern California. Patterns of mortality throughout 150 m x 150 m grids of sentinel mosquitoes indicate greater efficacy from the thermal fog application in both environments under suboptimal ambient weather conditions. We discuss the implications of these findings for future military preventive medicine activities and encourage further investigations into the relative merits of the two technologies for force health protection.