What are some alternatives to pesticides for mosquito control?
There are a few alternatives to pesticides for controlling adult mosquitoes. Mosquito control operates under an Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) philosophy. This means using a combination of mechanical, biological and chemical control methods. However, sometimes there is no alternative to chemical control. Source reduction, or reducing the amount of standing water available for mosquito breeding, is a viable alternative. There are several other alternatives. Vertebrate predators such as fish and birds, invertebrate predators such as insects and flatworms, pathogens, which are bacteria fungi or viruses and botanicals which are derived from plants, are all effective at reducing mosquitoes. One of the more successful alternatives to pesticides for controlling mosquitoes is the use of Gambusia, also known as mosquito fish, which can eat large numbers of mosquito larvae.
