Incorporate both larvicides and adulticides in mosquito control

Heather Erskine Patterson

There’s a notable benefit to helping our customers make the connection between wigglers (mosquito larvae) and the flying, biting mosquitoes they often encounter. If we can nip the mosquito life cycle in the bud before those larvae ever leave the water, there will be fewer flying, biting mosquitoes to deal with around the home. Additionally, if mosquitoes are killed at the larval stage, there will be fewer reproductive adults in the population. This means fewer eggs will be laid, which can reduce both the population and the overall mosquito activity in that area.

Source reduction and mosquito larvicides are important tools for larval control. Water can collect in a variety of places, and adult female mosquitoes seek out these water sources to lay their eggs. Showing these areas to our customers helps reinforce that connection between wigglers and flying mosquitoes, and addressing them helps our nuisance reduction efforts. It’s best to use management methods that incorporate both larvicides and adulticides to control multiple stages of the mosquito life cycle.