309 - Efficacy Trials Using Sumilarv in Lee County, Florida

Catch basins are a notorious breeding site for Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. In other states and more temperate regions of Florida this is typically an issue during the summer because of the high demand created for surveillance and treatment in urban areas. Being located in a subtropical zone with comparatively higher summer rainfall, Lee County in Southwest Florida has a unique relationship with basin treatments. Southwest Florida averages approximately 7.5 inches of rain per month filling catch basins and subsequently flushing water into large water bodies almost daily. This consistently removes both the standing water and any developing mosquito larvae, reducing the need for outside intervention. It is generally late fall, winter, and early spring when rain events slow down enough for southwest Florida catch basins to provide viable breeding sites for mosquitoes, causing a need for regular inspections and larvicide treatments. Lee County Mosquito Control District evaluated Sumilarv 0.5G WSPs as an extended release catch basin treatment during the dry period beginning in the fall of 2023. Results from this study will be discussed.