Author ORCID Identifier

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4115-4992

Date Available

11-7-2017

Year of Publication

2017

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Document Type

Master's Thesis

College

Agriculture, Food and Environment

Department/School/Program

Entomology

First Advisor

Dr. Grayson C. Brown

Abstract

Despite advances in mosquito management, mosquito-borne disease in the United States is still of relevant public health concern and vector control is a top priority in preventing transmission of pathogens. Insecticide barrier sprays have become a common tool for suppression of mosquitoes in single-homeowner backyards. The application of the synthetic pyrethroid, lambda-cyhalothrin to perimeter vegetation with a backpack sprayer has been shown to significantly suppress mosquito levels for around 6 weeks. In an attempt to lengthen the effective duration of treatment, the IGR, pyriproxyfen, was added to a backpack mist blower with lambda-cyhalothrin, as adult mosquitoes exposed to pyriproxyfen have been shown to disseminate it to oviposition sites and to experience lowered fecundity. This treatment was compared to lambda-cyhalothrin alone and to a water control. Mosquito populations were sampled using CO2-baited CDC light traps, CDC gravid traps, human landing rates, and ovitraps. Leaf bioassays were performed. The following summer, the same treatments were applied with a truck-mounted mist blower to tree lines in Central Kentucky, to test the efficacy of an application method that could be used on large properties. Finally, bioassays were performed with water sampled from pyriproxyfen-treated containers, exposed to field conditions to test for residual efficacy.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2017.183

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