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Larval Vector Control

Larval Vector Control

278 - The use of microbial control agents and copepods in an integrated control programme against the Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus in Germany

Thursday, March 6, 2025
12:05 PM – 12:15 PM AST
Location: 208 A
Abstract: The use of microbial control agents and copepods in an integrated control programme against the Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus in Germany
Norbert Becker, Katja Wessendorf, Isabel Pauly & Matteo Theilacker
Center for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Germany; email: norbertfbecker@web.de, +49170850677.
Over a decade, the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has tremendously increased its distribution due to globalisation and its behavial and physiological adaptation. It has even conquered temperate geographical regions, including Germany where it was first detected in 2007 at a highway connected to the Mediterranean region which is heavily infested by Ae. albopictus. Due to continuous re-introduction, it has fully established in more than 60 communities with increasing numbers each year. Uncontrolled populations quickly proliferate and cause tremendous nuisance to the public as well as pose a permanent risk for autochthonous transmission of arboviral diseases. Thereore, there is high political pressure by the residents to control this mosquito. Our control strategy is comprised of two components: a) community participation based on elimination and/or sanitation of breeding sites which can be sustainable but often fails due to the ignorance of people. b) Door-to-Door control in applying high dosages of Bti (Vectobac® WG) by trained staff on three week intervals which results in high personal costs. Therefore, we aim to include copepods in our control strategy to achieve a sustainable and less expensive control for several weeks or even months. In laboratory and wide-scale field tests the native copepod, Megacyclops viridis proved to be very efficient resulting in more than 95% mortality. We selected this species because it is robust, has high predation and fecundity rates, overwintering capabilities and can easily mass reared. Presently, we are in the process of installing a mass rearing facility to raise millions of copeods for sustainable, cost-effective and eco-friendly control of Ae. albopictus.