Outdoors in the Time of Zika: Nuisance Mosquito Management July 2016 Kirsten Buhls, Extension Agent VCE Arlington County Ingrid Werber and Kasha Helget Arlington Regional Master Naturalists

Living with mosquitoes without fear . Why are we doing this? Living with mosquitoes without fear .

Why is this Important? Dispel fear…. Protect pollinators, native, and beneficial insects Understand risks and benefits of mosquito control Respect ecological niche of all living organisms Educate about the indiscriminate use of non-selective pesticides Avoid false sense of security provided by pesticide usage Educate need for personal protection tactics Quality of Life: Enjoy the outdoors!

Mosquito Facts Worldwide: over 3,000 species Virginia: about 40 different species, variety of habitats.  Mosquitoes are largely aquatic with most of their development occurring in or near stagnant water.  Only female mosquitoes feed on or “bite” humans and other vertebrates to obtain protein necessary for egg laying. Mosquitoes are cold-blooded creatures and do not generally bite in temperatures below 50 F. Mosquitoes can live as long as 2-3 months and adults that hibernate can live as long as 6-8 months.

#1 “nuisance mosquito” in N. Virginia: Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus Vector for the transmission of viral pathogens, including the West Nile virus, Yellow fever virus, St. Louis encephalitis, dengue fever, and Chikungunya fever, and possibly Zika, as well as several filarial nematodes (heartworm). SE Asia Native Flies and bites only during daylight hours Breeds in: small and large containers tree holes natural rock pools Travels 600 yds

A. aegypti vs A. albopictus http://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/research/exotic.shtml Aedes aegypti mosquito is the primary transmitter of Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.

CDC Estimate of potential range Read maps with great care.

Mosquito breeding habitats flood water ditches root-ball pools Temporary bodies of water Seasonal and occasional Fresh or polluted Natural or manmade Lacking in predators salt marshes woodland pools artificial containers Permanent bodies of water develop resident populations of predatory species that prey upon and eliminate the mosquitoes that hatch from eggs laid in those environments. Most mosquito species breed in shallow, temporary bodies of water (puddles, residual ditch water, or artificial containers). Short, quick breeding cycle enables mosquitoes to complete their development before predators can become established. permanent swamps polluted water grass tussocks

Urban mosquitoes? Artificial Containers

Life Cycle of Mosquito e.g. Culex sp. ‘egg raft’ = ¼” x 1/8” Depends on: Longevity of the aquatic habitat Duration of the mosquito species' life cycle Prefers temperatures over 70 degrees but can survive in anything over 50 degrees

Mosquitoes as Vectors of Disease: WNV Vector competence – a mosquito’s tendency to become infected with a virus, harbor it, and transmit it to other hosts. Mosquito species that serve as WNV vectors can only do so by having a completely disseminated WNV infection. Disseminated infections occur when the WNV virus moves from blood in a mosquito’s gut, through the gut wall, and infects tissues throughout the mosquito’s body. The mosquito can only become a WNV vector when its salivary glands have become infected. The time required for completion of a disseminated infection may be days or weeks depending on mosquito species and environmental conditions.

Integrated Pest Management Techniques for Mosquito Control IPM = Range of options with which to control an insect or disease pest problem Public Education is a key tool Cultural Habitat Management Surveillance* Mechanical Mosquito Traps Personal protection Biological Encouraging presence of natural predators Introducing natural predatory organisms Chemical Larvicides Adulticides Mosquito control programs should always rely on adult and larval mosquito surveillance counts

Dump the Bucket!

Biological Larval Control Mosquito fish (Gambusia sp.) are minnow-sized fish that function well in the shallow aquatic habitats that larval mosquitoes prefer. Gambusia is particularly useful for controlling mosquitoes that breed in backyard ornamental ponds/water features Dragonfly larvae Frogs/Toads Water Striders and Ground Beetles. Biting Midge Corethrella appendiculata Bacillus thuringiensis Israeliensis

Biological Mosquito Larvicides Biological Insecticides Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti); Bacillus sphaericus (Vectolex) are only effective on early stage mosquito larvae, NOT pupal or adulthood! Advantage – may have very long residual effect; will bounce down through vegetation or foliage to reach the aquatic habitat; are easily carried into the field in a shoulder bag or pocket. ***Highly selective for mosquito and fly species Disadvantage – may be too large to use on some small aquatic habitats. Requires ‘mechanical’ suspension in below ground water pools

Self-Protection “Personal protective equipment” = Long sleeve, long pants, socks, shoes, hats, and neck covering. Exclusionary tactics (Nets and screening of rooms, beds, clothing) Repellants for application to skin DEET 25- 30% Picaridin- 20% Oil of Eucalyptus IR-3535 (Merck 3535) Details on usage

Mosquito Personal Protection Physical/Mechanical Exclusion Chemical

Adult mosquito control Should be based on: Mosquito surveillance data Limited to distant, sheltered, or large breeding habitats Last Resort! Resources: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/HumanServices/HumanServicesWesNileVirusSpraying.aspx

Mosquito Adulticide Types and Cautions Pyrethroids – While some have very low toxicity to mammals and birds, are toxic to fish, aquatic arthropods, and non-target insects. Permethrin Resmethrin (Scourge) Sumithrin (Anvil) Organophosphates – Have moderate to high toxicity to mammals, moderate to high toxicity to birds and fish toxicity, and very high toxicity to honeybees. Malathion – Low to moderate mammalian toxicity Naled (Dibrom) – Moderate to high mammalian toxicity Resources: http://npic.orst.edu/pest/mosquito/mosqcides.html

Pollinator Protection and Pesticides Some Guidelines to use when working with pesticide applicators: Do not ….. Apply at times when pollinators are active Apply on food crops Apply on flowering plants. Apply on windy days or before a rain event. DO: Remove mosquito-friendly plant growth Encourage natural predators Use selective, biological larvacides. Use “ultra low volume” sprays during cool parts of the day to reduce drift Do not apply pesticides when pollinators are present or on plants that pollinating insects visit. Do not apply to food crops Remove mosquito-friendly plant growth like dense groundcover and shrubbery Encourage natural predators Use selective pesticides for larval control (READ THE LABELS!) Don’t apply pesticides during the hottest part of the day Use “ultra low volume” sprays to reduce drift Don’t apply pesticides before rain or on very windy days; to avoid pesticide drift from the plant surface or other property BUT don’t apply in dead calm conditions or if there is an active temperature inversion that might cause pesticide drift

Hiring a pesticide applicator DO: Choose a VDACS licensed pest management company Ask for proposals that incorporate multiple tactics of IPM and not adulticides alone Get and compare several proposals for service . Ask for referrals from neighbors. Ask about staff training in IPM and mosquito control. Contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and its Office of Pesticide Services, at 804.371.6560 for any questions about the misuse of pesticides. Choose a pest management company that is licensed by the state. A list of licensed, private and commercial certified applicators can be found at Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Certified Applicators. Proposal should include use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), not just pesticide application. Choose a company by reputation for quality of service, not the price. Get several proposals for service if possible and compare them. Ask for referrals from neighbors. Company should have a staff entomologist or access to one, and the technicians should have experience with IPM and mosquito control. For questions about pesticide spraying and pesticide products, contact the  Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Its Office of Pesticide Services, at 804.371.6560, has pesticide experts who investigate allegations of pesticide misuse.

Most effective control directed at the immature life cycle stages Mosquito Controls Summary Biological Control Predators Pathogens and Parasites Mechanical (Environmental) Control Source Reduction Exclusion Environmental Manipulation Chemical Control Oils Insecticides Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) Most effective control directed at the immature life cycle stages

What’s new? Male sterilization: Radiation, field testing Ovitrap Eggs laid near water fall into screened enclosure from which new adults cannot escape Fabric moisture wicks, cardboard, etc. Pyriproxyfen WHO recommended insect growth regulator Ovitrap cups Male sterilization: Radiation, field testing RNA-Interference to destroy female Aegypti Improved chemicals and natural products like cedar oil.

Mosquito controls that DO NOT WORK: Bug Zappers. Spraying Listerine, wearing dryer sheets, VapoRub, vanilla, etc. Wristbands, ultrasonic devices. Aunt Ethel’s Toad pee on your wrist. Plants on your patio don’t really repel mosquitoes. Propane-driven CO2 emitting mosquito traps actually attract mosquitoes rather than repel them. Bats and Purple Martins do not prefer to eat mosquitoes. It doesn’t matter what you eat. Garlic doesn’t keep them away. Ckikengunya and West Nile virus have been recent introductions. Malarea was endemic as recently as the mid 19th century. Catnip, Lemon Balm, rose geranium, Citronella, Mountain Mint, marigolds

What would a world without them look like? Jittawadee Murphy, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research: “Wiping out mosquitos could leave a predator without prey or a plant without a pollinator”. Joe Conlan American Mosquito Control Board: “If we eradicate them tomorrow, the ecosystems where they are active will hiccup and then get on with life. Something better or worse would take their place”. Mosquitos are a primary food source for some birds, spiders, salamanders, and fish. The economic effect of mosquito eradication (ex. cost of malaria fight in sub-Sahara Africa) = 1.3% of gross domestic product growth Carlos Brisola Marcondes, Federal U. of Santa Catarina, Brazil: “A world without mosquitoes would be more secure for us. The elimination of Anopheles would be very significant for mankind”. The ecological effect of eliminating harmful mosquitoes is that you have more people. That’s the consequence”. Daniel Strickman, Urban and Medical Entomology, Beltsville Live on nearly every continent More than 100 million years here on earth A World without mosquitoes, Nature Janet Fang, 2010

Keep in Mind That: The average range of an adult mosquito is 600 ft. – 1-2 miles. Work cooperatively to remove breeding and sheltering sites. The most popular chemical control, Permethrin is non- selective (it will kill beneficial insects, too). There is limited to no residual benefits from Permethrin. Effective control requires appropriate timing. Mosquitoes do not like to breed in moving water. Keep a bubbler going if you can’t change it every 3 days Mosquitoes are not strong fliers. Keep the air moving around your outdoor dining areas. Keep bare skin covered.

It’s summer. Enjoy the outdoors! Use an effective repellent on exposed skin DEET, Picaridin or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Always make sure to follow label directions. Make sure door, window, and rain barrel screens are intact. Avoid being outside during dawn and dusk. Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors. Drain all sources of standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding: Turn over or remove containers in yards where rainwater collects, such as old tires, potted plant trays, boats, buckets and toys. Clean out birdbaths and wading pools once a week. Clean roof gutters and downspout screens regularly. Eliminate standing water on tarps and flat roofs. Ensure that lids are placed securely on garbage cans.

Alexandria’s and Arlington’s Responses: Website information for public education about: Commitment to environmental protection AND human health Possible upcoming mosquito surveying Commitment to protect residents and also our mosquito population from disease! Info on preventing mosquito bites: Use of DEET in pregnancy, most effective mosquito repellants, and best ways to prevent bites How to hire a pesticide applicator and who can be contacted about questions.

Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Information Local Daily Horticulture Help Desk at Fairlington Community Center and weekly Plant Clinics Collaboration with VCE Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists to educate residents Collaboration with Arlington County Environmental Health Department and Department of Parks and Recreation Commercial pesticide applicator information and training State VA Tech Entomology Department and Laboratory Resources VCE publications Partnership with VDACS on certification and compliance.

Resources for Mosquito/Tick Control Centers for Disease Control & Prevention West Nile Info www.cdc.gov/westnile Virginia Department of Health Mosquito and Tick Disease Info www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/vector- borne-disease-control/ Arlington Environmental Health Department https://health.arlingtonva.us/environmental-health/mosquito- information-center/ Alexandria Health Department https://www.alexandriava.gov/EnvironmentalHealth#VectorBorn eIllnessPreventionProgram Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services www.vdacs.virginia.gov

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