A natural biological control to mosquito larvae.

The predation rate in the control of mosquito larvae; Copepods versus Gambusia.


Fawn E. Caldwell


ABSTRACT: Control of mosquito larvae with the copepod, Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides, a natural predator, was used in this study because it is abundantly found and is wholly or primarily free-living in all natural waterways. This includes seasonal creeks and rivers.

This predator, which is better known as plankton, has shown that they can reduce the amount of mosquito larvae in its infested habitat, more effectively then that of the Gambusia affinis, either alone or in a combination.

Direct observation shows that the copepod generally eats detritus material but they prefer to eat the bellies out of the larvae instead.

The mosquito fish, Gambusia, were used for comparison purposes because past research has proven that they can considerably reduce mosquito larvae.

The use of two types of mosquito larvae (Anopheles and Culex spp.) was used to see if the copepod and/or Gambusia prefer one species of mosquito larvae to the other. No preference was noted.

Documented laboratory research conclusively proves that an enhanced level of copepods can naturally reduce the amount of mosquito larvae, to a greater extent over the Gambusia.