Evaluation of ultra-low volume treatments on Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) abundance and relative age by parity dissection

Abstract

Abstract St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District relies on ultra-low volume (ULV) insecticides to manage adult Culex quinquefasciatus (Say 1823), the primary vector of West Nile virus in Louisiana, but abundance rarely declines post-treatment. Three field ULV applications each of adulticides containing deltamethrin, naled, or resmethrin were conducted from May through October 2022 to measure efficacy against free-flying Cx. quinquefasciatus. Female mosquitoes trapped before and after treatment were identified, counted, and age-graded by parity dissection. No insecticide applications reduced Cx. quinquefasciatus abundance, but trials with deltamethrin and naled significantly lowered average mosquito age in the area post-treatment. No trials with resmethrin reduced mosquito age, which corroborates laboratory susceptibility data indicating local resistance toward the pyrethroid. These trials establish parity dissections and relative age gradation as a means of measuring treatment success against Cx. quinquefasciatus.