Updated Methods for the Production of Toxorhynchites rutilus septentrionalis (Diptera, Culicidae) for Use as Biocontrol Agent Against Container Breeding Pest Mosquitoes in Harris County, Texas. 2019

Anita Schiller, and Mary Allen, and Jewel Coffey, and Arielle Fike, and Franklin Carballo
Biological Control Mosquito Initiative, DRAC/MAP Harris County Precinct, Commissioner Cagle, Louetta Road, Spring TX.

The complex biologies of pestiferous mosquito species complicate the development of a single, across the board effective control measure. The use of traditional biological control through predators, parasitoids, and microbes, though part of a multimodal, integrated pest management approach, is scant in current standard mosquito control operations. At this time, traditional, whole organism mosquito biocontrol agents are not commercially available, and if their integration into a release program is desired, they must be developed in-house. The aim of our program was to incorporate releasing natural enemies to disrupt and suppress the target pest mosquito's population by matching the agent with the target's biology, before or concurrent to pesticide use. A current focus is suppressing peridomestic, container breeders of high medical significance, such as Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), (Diptera, Culicidae) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera, Culicidae), through larval reduction with augmentative releases of laboratory-reared, native mosquito assassins Toxorhynchites rutilus septentrionalis (Dyar & Knab). When raised in communal settings, Tx. rutilus' aggressive feeding behavior and cannibalistic tendencies require an extreme loss tolerance in adult production rates. In addition, offering prey mosquitoes exclusively as Tx. rutilus' juvenile food extends larval development by multiple days. While this may be desirous in the wild, it proves inefficient during production. Here, we provide an individual rearing method as well as an alternative diet protocol, which maximizes the adult yield while achieving quick development.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009033 Culicidae A family of the order DIPTERA that comprises the mosquitoes. The larval stages are aquatic, and the adults can be recognized by the characteristic WINGS, ANIMAL venation, the scales along the wing veins, and the long proboscis. Many species are of particular medical importance. Mosquitoes,Mosquitos,Mosquito
D010572 Pest Control, Biological Use of naturally-occuring or genetically-engineered organisms to reduce or eliminate populations of pests. Biological Pest Control,Biologic Pest Control,Pest Control, Biologic,Biologic Pest Controls,Biological Pest Controls,Pest Controls, Biologic,Pest Controls, Biological
D004772 Entomology A discipline or occupation concerned with the study of INSECTS, including the biology and the control of insects.
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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