Mosquito Eradication: The Story of Killing Campto Brian H. Kay and Richard C. Russell

Abstract

Mosquito Eradication: The Story of Killing Campto Brian H. Kay. Richard C. Russell (eds.) 2013; 280 pages CSIRO Publishing ISBN: 978-1486300570 $69.95 (paperback) ![Graphic][1] In 1826, the paradise that was the Hawaiian Islands was changed forever when the first mosquito species was accidently introduced to the island of Maui. Though it has not lived up to its potential as a vector of human disease in the islands, Culex quinquefasciatus and the avian pathogens it transmits laid waste to perhaps the world's most remarkable insular avifauna. Today the lowland native forests, once deafening with birdsong, are largely devoid of native birds and Cx. quinquefasciatus has become an inextricable part of our natural areas. In the Hawaiian Islands, the conservation community struggles to keep invasive species out and to control a number of species that have become naturalized. Despite the millions of dollars spent, these efforts never seem enough to slow the erosion of our native biota. The restoration and long-term preservation of Hawaiian forest birds depend on the nearly complete control of mosquito-borne avian disease, an obstacle that to many land managers appears insurmountable. To rally hope in Hawai\`i, the conservation community needs to see a success. As a Pacific island, Hawai\`i … dlapointe{at}usgs.gov [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif