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21 June 2023 - News
Ubiquitous, adaptable, and capable of reproducing in vast numbers, mosquitoes thrive in green and urban areas alike, surviving even in hostile natural environments, predators, and parasites.
While they are primarily a nuisance, mosquitoes pose a severe threat to public health due to their ability to transmit potentially fatal diseases such as malaria, dengue fever (or “breakbone fever”), yellow fever, chikungunya, the Zika virus, and the West Nile virus.
According to the World Health Organization, over 700,000 deaths annually can be attributed to mosquito-borne diseases, making mosquitoes the deadliest animals on the planet for humans.
Italian mosquito species are divided into two subfamilies: Anophelinae, which includes only the genus Anopheles, and Culicinae, represented by various genera, with the most common being Aedes, Culex, and Culiseta.
A distinctive feature that allows you to distinguish Anophelinae mosquitoes from Culicinae is the position the insect adopts when resting on a surface. In Anophelinae, the abdomen aligns with the thorax and proboscis, forming a single angle with the surface. In contrast, Culicinae mosquitoes hold their body nearly parallel to the surface, creating an angle with the proboscis.
Mosquitoes are insects with a complete metamorphosis; they reach the adult (imago) stage through the egg, larva, and pupa (or nymph) stages. The egg, larva, and pupa stages are associated with aquatic environments, while the adult stage is linked to terrestrial habitats. Mosquitoes prefer different zones and environments depending on the species.
The lifespan of mosquitoes is closely related to environmental conditions, temperature, and humidity. The higher the temperature (within the species’ maximum limits), the faster the life cycle progresses.
One feature that distinguishes the life cycle of the Anopheles mosquito from other mosquitoes is the appearance of the larvae: while Culicinae larvae have a breathing siphon, Anopheles larvae lack this and breathe atmospheric oxygen through a plate located on the second-to-last abdominal segment.
This absence of a siphon affects the position of the larvae: Anopheles larvae are parallel to and lying flat on the water surface, while Culicinae larvae (e.g., Aedes, Culex) position themselves at an acute, perpendicular angle to the water’s surface.
Pest control companies that specialize in mosquito management employ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques. These techniques include monitoring, prevention, larvicidal treatment, and adulticidal control.
Larvicidal control is one of the most effective methods for mosquito containment, particularly for prevention and combating infestations, in line with the principles of Integrated Pest Management. It involves applying a larvicidal product—either in liquid form, granules, or tablets—into the mosquito’s breeding habitats to eliminate the larvae, preventing their development into adult mosquitoes.
Common Active Ingredients for Larvicidal Control
Tra i prodotti larvicidi consigliamo l’utilizzo di insetticidi in formulazione liquida per l’impiego su grandi superfici d’acqua; in granuli per l’impiego in presenza di fitta vegetazione; in compresse per l’impiego nei luoghi di riproduzione delle larve di zanzare come acque stagnanti e tombini.
Recommended Products:
DEVICE SC-15. A concentrated suspension insecticide based on Diflubenzuron, used for controlling mosquito larvae in breeding areas, both in urban and rural zones.
LARVICOL COMPRESSE. Effervescent insecticide tablets containing 2g of S-Metroprene, for controlling mosquito larvae in breeding sites.
SILIQUA. Silicone-based product for mosquito larval control, non-biocide, sustainable, and selective towards other aquatic organisms.
Adulticidal control is employed when larvicidal treatment has proven insufficient due to large-scale mosquito breeding sites, and infestation levels exceed tolerance thresholds, sometimes posing a public health risk. Adulticide intervention should be seen as a supplementary measure to larvicidal treatments.
Insecticides against adult mosquitoes act through direct or indirect contact when mosquitoes land on treated surfaces.
Recommended Products