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Mosquito
 Mosquitoes have world-wide distribution except Antarctica and a few islands. They constitute the
most important single family of insects from the standpoint of human health. In Bangladesh species
of the genus Anopheles, Culex, Aedes and Mansonia transmit diseases. Bangladesh have
approximately 113 species of mosquitoes.

 Classification:
 Phylum-Arthropoda
 Class-Insecta
 Order-Diptera
 Family-Culicidae
 Sub family 1-Anophelinae(anopheline)-suck blood
 Sub family 2-Culicinae(culicines)-suck blood
 Sub family 3-Toxorhynchitinae-suck plant and flower juices

 Mosquito species of Bangladesh & the diseases they transmit:

Mosquito species Disease Pathogen

Anopheles dirus Malaria Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium malariae
An. philippinensis Do Do
An. sundaicus Do Do
An. minimus Do Do
Culex quinquefasciatus Filaria Wuchereria bancrofti
Cx. tritaeniorhynchus Encephalitis Virus(Arbovirus Gr. B-Flavivirus)

Cx. gelidusi Do Do
Cxvishnui Do Do
Aedes aegypti Dengue Virus(Arbovirus)
Ae. albopictus Do Do
Mansonia annulifera Filaria Brugia malayi
Mn. uniformes Do Do

Source: Jewel sir 1

Edited by: HIT
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 Mosquito control measures:

1. Anti larval measures:

A) Environmental control
For Culex larvae-abolition of domestic and peridomestic sources of breeding; adequate collection,
removal and disposal of sewage and waste water. For Aedes larvae-the environment should be
cleaned up and got rid of water holding containers and similar other artificial collections. For
Anopheles larvae- the breeding places should be looked for and abolished by appropriate
engineering measures such as filling and drainage. For Mansonia larvae-the adequate plants to
which the larvae attach themselves should be removed.

B) Chemical control: The commonly used larvicides are:

(i) Mineral oils: One of the oldest control method and kill mosquito larvae by poisoning and
suffocation. More efficient mineral oils are Malariol and Flit MLO and application rate is
50-100 lit/ha. Sprayed in e very 7-10 days.

(ii) Paris green: Anther old method is the application of a fine dust of Paris green(copper
acetoarsenite). It acts as stomach poison for Anopheline larvae, Dose- 1kg/ha water surface.

(iii) Synthetic insecticides: Recommended chemicals for larviciding include

organophosphates such as temephos(Abate),malathion, pirimiphos methyl
(Actellic),fenitrothion (Sumithion),chlorpyrifos and carbamates such as propoxur, and
pyrethroids like permethrin and deltamethrin. These insecticides should be sprayed in every
10-14 days and more frequently in highly polluted waters. Mansonia larvae can be killed by
spraying herbicides such as diquet and 2,4-D. IGRs like methoprene, pyriprofoxin and
diflubenzuron are also used. They are environment friendly, specific and less toxic to humans.

C) Biological control: Reduce vector population size, though slowly.

(i)Predators: Most commonly used larvivorous fishes are Gambusia affinis(mosquito fish)
and Poecilia reticulata(south African guppy). Some carps and catfishes also feed mosquito
larvae. Other predators of larva and pupa include tadpoles of toads and frogs and other insect
larvae.
(ii) Pathogens and parasites: Pathogens such as viruses (iridescent and
cytoplasmicpolyhedrosis/viruses),bacteria(Bacillus/thuringiensis),Protozoa(Nosema),
fungi(Coelomomyces) and nematodes(Romanomermis) cause larval mortality.

Source: Jewel sir 2

Edited by: HIT
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2) Anti adult measures:

(A) Residual House sprays: The most widely practiced method is the application of water-
dispersible powders of residual insecticides to the interior surfaces. DDT remains the best
insecticide because of its cheapness. The rate for DDT is 2gm/m2 .Houses need to be sprayed
once/twice a year before rainy season. When DDT is not effective OPS, Carbamates and
Pyrethroids can also be used.
(B) Space sprays: Hand-held or vehicle-mounted machines that generate insecticidal mists,
aerosols or fogs can be used to kill outdoor resting (exophilic) adult mosquitoes and occasionally
indoor resting (endophilic) adults. Several insecticides can be used including malathion,
bendiocarb, fenitrothion, pirimiphos methyl, and pyrethroids. Repeated applications are needed to
sustain control. Ultra-low-volume(ULV) techniques apply small amounts of concentrated
insecticides effectively.
(C) Genetic control: It includes release of sterile male mosquitoes, the use of cytoplasmic
incompatibility, translocations, introducing lethal genes and production of excessive number of
males by meiotic drive.

3. Protection against mosquito bites:

(A) Mosquito net: It offers protection during sleep and the material of the net should be white.
The no of holes is 150/square inch.
(B) Screening: Screening of buildings with copper or bronze gauze having 6-10 meshes to the
inch is recommended. Screening is costly and may inhibit ventilation but gives excellent result.
(C) Repellents: Suitable insect repellents applied to the skin include DEET, DIMP, ethyl
hexanediol, and cyclohexamethylene carbamide, which can provide protection for 6-13 hours.
(D) Miscellaneous: Small spray-guns filled with pyrethrum or aerosols canisters containing fast-
acting knock-down insecticides, are commonly used to spray bed rooms. Mosquito coils
impregnated with pyrethrins or pyrethroid insecticides can give 6-10 hrs protection. Besides
insecticide- impregnated mats are also used like mosquito coils

 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF MOSQUITOES

 Mosquitoes
have only one pair of functional wings, the fore wings. The hind wings are represented by a
pair of small, knob-like halters.
 They
possess a conspicuous forward projecting proboscis with which they bite. A pair of palpi
situated on either side of proboscis.
 They have
numerous appressed scales on the thorax, legs. Abdomen and wing veins.

Source: Jewel sir 3

Edited by: HIT
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 Between
the kidney shaped compound eyes arises a pair of antennae. In males, the antennae have many
long hairs (bushy/plumose) but in females the antennae have short hairs (not bushy/pilose).
 Abdomen
is long narrow and 10 segmented, the last two are modified to form the external genitalia.
 LIFE CYCLE OF MOSQUITOES:

Life cycle consists of 4 stages-egg, larva, pupa and adult.

1.EGGS. Eggs are laid on the surface of water, 100-250 at a time. The period that elapses from
the moment a blood meal is taken until the eggs are laid is called the “gonotrophic cycle”. It is
about 48 hrs in hot and humid tropical areas.
2.LARVAE. They are free swimming creatures. Body divisible into-head, thorax and abdomen. It
passes through four stages of growth called instars with moulting between each stage. The larval
stage occupies 5-7 days.
3.PUPAE. They are comma-shaped with large rounded cephalothorax and a narrow abdomen. It
is the resting stage and they do not feed. This stage lasts for 1-2 days.
4.ADULT. When the development is complete, the pupal skin splits along the back and the adult
mosquito or imago emerges.

The life cycle from the egg to adult is completed in 7-10 days. Normally the adult mosquito lives
for about 2 weeks. The males are generally short lived.

Source: Jewel sir 4

Edited by: HIT