Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association最新文献

Assessing and advancing cutting-edge technologies that are designed to optimize mosquito surveillance strategies is crucial given the complex challenges presented by our rapidly changing environments. Vectech's Identification-X (IDX) machine offers an innovative way to identify and count adult mosquitoes and train artificial intelligence (AI) software. In collaboration with Vectech, staff at Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District (District) have identified and imaged ∼5,100 adult mosquitoes since 2021. Using the most recent software update (v5.0.4), we aimed to evaluate accuracy improvements by incorporating a diverse range of mosquito genera and species. To achieve this, 100 female specimens of 10 wild-caught mosquito species were imaged. The species included Anopheles freeborni, An. franciscanus, Culex tarsalis, Cx. pipiens, Cx. stigmatosoma, Cx. erythrothorax, Aedes vexans, Ae. melanimon, Ae. aegypti, and Ae. sierrensis. Of the 10 species analyzed, 6 had an identification accuracy of 96-100%. Given the software's current accuracy for Cx. tarsalis, follow-up examinations were conducted to determine at what point consistent specimen degradation impacted the ability of the IDX to correctly identify mosquito samples of this species. Finally, we compared the identification accuracy and speed of individual vector control technicians (VCTs) with the imaging accuracy and speed of the IDX machine to determine operational efficiency of this device within a mosquito surveillance program. Results indicated that the IDX machine is as accurate and efficient as a vector control technician with 22 months of experience but is prone to misidentification of morphologically similar mosquito species when specimens are degraded.

We present an updated checklist of mosquito species in New York State, integrating historical records, modern surveillance, and recent literature. A total of 68 species across 10 genera are documented, including invasive taxa (Aedes albopictus, Ae. japonicus) and historically rare species (Orthopodomyia alba, Or. signifera). This synthesis emphasizes species of public and veterinary significance, such as Culex pipiens and Culiseta melanura, vectors of West Nile and eastern equine encephalitis viruses. Analysis of more than 3 million specimens collected since 1999 confirms the absence of Ae. aegypti, historically introduced but unable to persist in New York. Urbanization, container-breeding ecology, climate change, and global commerce continue to shape mosquito distributions and pathogen risk. This checklist bridges historic and current data, providing a reliable reference for surveillance, vector control, and future research.

This paper highlights findings from a targeted survey of aerial pesticide applicators who specialize in mosquito control space sprays. The questionnaire captured location and site details, aircraft types, and use scenarios, as well as spray system configurations, operational protocols, and pesticide use. By identifying common application settings across different platforms, the survey offers a vital benchmark for ensuring that current and future gathering of empirical data for AGriculturalDISPersal™ (AGDISP) refinement aligns with real-world conditions. These data are discussed in relation to the current mechanistic model AGDISP and relevance to the design of the field trials already underway at Lee County Mosquito Control District, Florida.

Controlling Aedes aegypti populations through traditional methods is increasingly difficult due to the development of insecticide resistance and their use of cryptic breeding habitats. The sterile insect technique has emerged as an effective tool for integrated vector management. Still, its success depends on the ability to mass-rear large numbers of high-quality mosquitoes. Choosing an appropriate larval diet is crucial for scalable mass-rearing, as it directly influences mosquito development, survival, and overall production efficiency. This study compared the effects of 3 larval diets: 1) TetraMin® Tropical Flakes, 2) Ziegler® Tropical Pro-Start45 Meal, and 3) bovine liver powder delivered in cellulose capsules, on the growth and performance of male Ae. aegypti under simulated mass-rearing conditions. Ziegler-reared mosquitoes had significantly larger pupal and adult sizes than those reared on Tetramin or liver powder. The Tetramin diet produced smaller adults, but with longevity comparable to that of the Ziegler diet, whereas the liver powder diet resulted in mosquitoes of similar size to those of the Tetramin diet, but with reduced longevity. While all 3 diets demonstrated viability for mass-rearing, their suitability depends on program-specific goals and constraints. The liver powder diet offered a good balance of biological performance and operational efficiency, but at a substantially higher economic cost. With further optimization of feeding regimens, the Ziegler diet shows the most significant potential to deliver high biological quality at the lowest price, making it a strong candidate for scalable mass-rearing programs.

The control of Aedes aegypti, a primary vector of the causal agent of yellow fever, dengue, Zika, and other viral diseases, is a growing concern in global public health. With growing resistance to insecticides and other conventional methods, alternative and novel approaches, such as attractant toxic sugar baits (ATSB) or toxic sugar baits (TSB), are emerging as a viable solution in integrated mosquito management. This study evaluates the efficacy of 3 essential oils (cinnamon oil, cedarwood oil, and garlic oil) as active ingredients in TSB formulations, measuring their effects on the feeding rate and mortality of adult Ae. aegypti. The results suggest that cinnamon oil reduced mosquito feeding rates, compared with cedarwood oil and garlic oil. Cedar wood oil, combined with boric acid as TSB, resulted in high mortality and showed potential as an effective agent in integrated mosquito management programs.

Oxitec's "just-add-water" release boxes offer an environmentally friendly method to suppress Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for recent dengue outbreaks in the Florida Keys. Each box rears and releases genetically engineered males that carry a gene preventing female survival. This study tested the compatibility of Oxitec boxes with wide-area larvicide applications of VectoBac® WDG larvicide. Mortality in wild-type larvae was 68.2% in open boxes, 1.7% in vented boxes, and 0.5% in tape-sealed boxes, indicating the box vents effectively shield developing mosquitoes, supporting integration with existing mosquito control strategies.

NATULAR®SC, mosquito larvicide, was laboratory and field-tested against Aedes albopictus to determine the application rate in metric units (µl/liter). The objective was to estimate in microliters (µl) the amount of formulated NATULAR SC to apply per liter of habitat water. Replicated dose response experiments were conducted on lab-reared third instar Ae. albopictus under controlled laboratory conditions followed by probit analysis. The median lethal dose, LD50, was estimated to be 0.07 µl/liter (95% C.L. 0.054,0.094). Control mortality was less than 1%. The LD95 was estimated to be 0.54 µl/liter (95% C.L. 0.323,1.265). According to the World Health Organization Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) doubling the LD95 approximates the diagnostic dose and is an estimate of the field application rate. The next step consisted of outdoor field trials in 5-liter buckets. Twelve application rates ranging from 0.1 µl/liter to 2.0 µl/liter were tested. Results indicated 1 µl/liter was an optimum application rate. A major conclusion is no single best application rate will kill 100% of susceptible mosquito larvae. An optimal field rate balances efficacy with minimizing the concentration of pesticide. In every treatment a small probability of larval survival is always present. This is a compelling argument for rotating active ingredients according to their mode of action.