Why We Need Mosquito Control

The emergence and spread of West Nile Virus may be the first in a series of exotic diseases imported due to the worldwide increase in eco-tourism and international air travel. Malaria, Rift Valley Fever, Chikungunya Virus and dengue fever are but a plane flight away, and public health officials at all levels are becoming increasingly concerned. As our world continues to shrink, mosquito control in the United States will assume a more critical public health function – well beyond its quality of life role.

To meet these coming threats, the operational mosquito control profession in the United States, comprising over 350 local and state agencies, continues to mobilize its resources and perfect its prevention and control techniques – the safest, most comprehensive and effective of their kind in the world.

The integrated mosquito management methods currently employed by organized control districts and endorsed by the CDC and EPA are comprehensive and specifically tailored to safely counter each stage of the mosquito life cycle. Larval control through water management and source reduction, where compatible with other land management uses, is a prudent pest management alternative – as is use of the environmentally friendly EPA-registered larvicides currently available. When source elimination or larval control measures are clearly inadequate, or in the case of imminent disease, the EPA and CDC have emphasized in a published joint statement the need for considered application of adulticides by certified applicators trained in the specialized handling characteristics of these products.

By: AMCA