Mosquito Control in Poland: Pro- and Anti-Environmental Activities

Abstract Mosquito control in Poland is still dominated by the use of chemicals. Although it has been 13 years since the flood of the century, only in few cities and towns (Wroclaw, Gorzow Wielkopolski and Torun) various methods of mosquito control such as mapping of larvae development and setting time limits for the imagines occur-rence were developed. The problem of mosquito control is not only limited to adult insects, it is also much more a complex issue due to the use of insecticides in the environment that we would rather like to keep unchanged, with a diversity of co-existing species of plants and animals. In addition to eradication of larvae and adult insects, we should also: carry out actions modifying environment so that it becomes less friendly to mosquitoes (e.g. drying wet mead-ows as a result of land reclamation), protect places where people reside - with the use of insecticide lamps and spatial repellents, as well as catchers for aggressive female mosquitoes. Increasing the share of environmental management methods and public education on preventing to form and eliminating existing places of mosquito larvae development in urban green areas (parks, river overflow areas and drainage ditches) are still an undervalued element of integrated mosquito control in Poland.