125 - Target and non-target effects of Bti larviciding on ephemeral pond communities
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
11:25 AM – 11:35 AM AST
Location: 201
Abstract: Bti larviciding is widely considered an environmentally friendly mosquito control method despite conflicting research evidence. We evaluated the ecological impact of Bti larviciding in a semi-field experiment using mesocosms stocked with simple invertebrate communities simulating ephemeral ponds commonly treated with Bti. Although our results support the effectiveness of Bti against early-instar mosquito larvae, they also highlight unintended consequences of Bti-induced larval mosquito mortality in the context of freshwater conservation and public health.
