Evaluation of Culex pipiens Populations in a Residential Area with a High Density of Catch Basins in a Suburb of Chicago, Illinois.

Abstract

The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District applies extended release larvicides including methoprene-based Altosid® XR Extended Residual Briquets to approximately 40,000 catch basins in the southern half of the District's operational area at the beginning of each season. Treatments begin in May and typically again 9 to 10wk later when larvicide efficacy appears to wane. In 2013 spinosad-based Natular™ XRT tablets were applied to basins, and a subset were monitored for larvae and pupae weekly with a standard dipper. When setting the threshold for retreatment as 12 juveniles per dip sample it was observed that basins required a second application 9wk after the initial application, a time period similar to Altosid despite utilizing a different active ingredient. Average counts of weekly larval samples appeared to be positively associated with average numbers of Culex pipiens collected the following week in a gravid trap located among catch basins, highlighting the importance of basins as sources of these mosquitoes.