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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 #333416
Research Project: Biting Arthropod Surveillance and Control

Location: Mosquito and Fly Research

Title: Acoustic control of mosquito larvae in artificial drinking water containers

Author
item Gibson, Seth
item NYBERG, HERBERT - New Mountain Innovations, Inc
item Aldridge, Robert
item SWAN, TOM - University Of Florida
item Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Journal of the Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/27/2016
Publication Date: 12/14/2016
Citation: Britch, S.C., Nyberg, H., Aldridge, R.L., Swan, T., Linthicum, K. 2016. Acoustic control of mosquito larvae in artificial drinking water containers. Journal of the Mosquito Control Association. 32(4):341-344.

Interpretive Summary: Although adult mosquitoes bite humans and transmit viruses that cause serious diseases such as Zika or dengue, mosquito control is in many instances more effective when targeted at the immature stages when mosquito larvae are swimming in water and concentrated in one location. Control of mosquito larvae is traditionally accomplished with chemically- or biologically-based substances that are added to water sources harboring the larvae. Unfortunately, in particular in developing nations, drinking water is stored in containers in and around houses and this water may also harbor mosquito larvae. In general, adding chemicals or biologicals to drinking water to control mosquito larvae is not acceptable to the public, which leaves these sources of mosquito larvae untreated and a persistent public health threat. A new technology is available that uses intense sound waves to kill mosquito larvae in water, and may be used in drinking water with no danger to humans. In this study we investigate the efficacy of a sound-based larval control system to kill larvae of Aedes aegypti, one of the most globally-important mosquito vectors of disease. We found that the device can be highly effective at killing Aedes aegypti larvae in large plastic containers of water similar to those found in developing countries where this species is prevalent.

Technical Abstract: Acoustic larvicide devices are part of an emerging technology that provides a non-chemical and non-biological means to reduce larval populations of key medically important mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti in containers or catchments of water. These devices could benefit integrated vector management programs facing public resistance to the use of chemical or biological larvicides in stored drinking water. In this study we investigate the efficacy of a Larvasonic SD-Mini acoustic larvicide device in reducing larval populations of Ae. aegypti in three volumes of water across a range of acoustic exposure durations. We report lethal pulse duration times for 50% and 90% mortality and optimal exposure durations for the tested water volumes.